Dennis Naku reports on the wellhead fire and oil spill devastating multiple communities in Rivers State’s Kalabari kingdom, as military, locals and operators deny responsibility
It wasn’t me’ is a popular line from the song titled ‘Hot Shot’ released in 2000 by the Jamaican-American reggae singer, Shaggy. The lyric of the song depicts one man asking his friend what to do after his girlfriend caught him cheating on her with ‘the girl next door’. Then came the chorus ‘It wasn’t me’.
The phrase aptly describes the situation unfolding in Buguma, located in the Asari-Toru Local Government Area, and in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State, where neither the operator, the communities, nor the military has accepted responsibility for the explosion and subsequent oil spill. This disaster has impacted no fewer than nine communities, devastating the ecosystem and livelihoods in the coastal Kalabari kingdom.
The communities said they had first noticed a gas leak which ignited the fire, then a massive spill for about a month without any spirited effort from the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, operator of the Oil Mining Lease-18 or the relevant Federal Government agency to put out the fire and contain the spill.
Some of the communities affected are Buguma, Bukuma, Horsfall-Ama, Angulama, Krakrama, Omekwe-Ama, Minama, Kenia-ma, Atuka-ma, and adjoining communities.
Their immediate worry is the pollution of the river and the ecosystem as shown by dead fishes, periwinkles and oysters as the spill spreads further.
The Regent of the Kalabari Kingdom, Dr Charles Numbere Princewill, following the incident, called for the urgent intervention of President Bola Tinubu and Governor Siminalayi Fubara, stating that “Buguma and Bukuma, along with their surrounding areas, are now disaster zones.”
Addressing newsmen who visited the scene of the leaked wellhead offshore and some of the affected communities, the Kalabari monarch succinctly said, “There is a major oil and gas spill in these areas that are spreading fast. It started about a month ago with a serious gas leak.
“This was followed by a massive oil spill which continues as I speak. This gas and oil leak brought about a massive fire. This incident has caused grave damage to the communities in the Kalabari kingdom which is so serious and frightening.
“The Buguma community (and Bukuma) urgently call on President Bola Tinubu and Governor Siminalayi Fubara to please set all machinery in their power in motion to help us. Buguma, Bukuma and the surrounding villages are now a disaster zone.
“If the President and the state governor do not act fast to ensure the spill and fire are contained and stop the environmental disaster in our land, we are finished.”
He also called on the Minister of Environment, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil, relevant agencies of the Federal Government and the Rivers State Commissioner for Environment to do the needful, to prevent further suffering in the areas.
The monarch demanded relief materials for his subjects to alleviate their pains.
While noting that the spill has caused air pollution, multiple poisoning of aquatic life and shattered the local economy, the monarch expressed worry that the situation may lead to an emergency if the Federal Government fails to respond quickly.
A former health commissioner who hails from the area, Dr Emi Membere-Otaji, said though the cause of the spill had yet to be ascertained, it may have resulted from military airstrikes fighting illegal bunkering activities or the obsolete equipment of the company operating the facility.
Membere-Otaji stated, “The problem is at the NNPC OML-18 Limited. It is at the back of Bukuma, separating Buguma from the new Calabar River. I mean you went round and you saw it.
“While it is a spill from the back of one community, the spill goes across impacting all our waterfront communities and the major towns and villages around Buguma are also impacted.
“So, while we cannot categorically state the exact cause, there are three main possible causes—either one or all of them working together. First, oil production started here from Oloibiri (Bayelsa State) in 1956 and later extended to our area in the 1960s. As a result, some of those oil facilities are now weak, increasing the likelihood of such incidents.
It could also be due to criminal illegal bunkering, which, as a community, we reject. Any of our sons involved in such activities know that we are firmly against it. Another possible cause, which is very significant, involves the military. While attempting to disperse these criminal activities using helicopter guns, their gunfire could hit illegal refineries or their machinery. However, it could also accidentally strike a wellhead or pipeline.
“Now the spill has affected farmlands, rivers and aquatic systems, from Buguma down to the Buguma creek up Ogajiama, Kenia-ma, Atuka-ma and of course, Bukuma and any community around has been affected.”
In one of the affected mangroves, a fisherman in Horsfall-ama, Sokari Bobmanuel, pointed to dead fishes and periwinkles affected by the spill.
Bobmanuel, accompanied by other fishermen, said, “All the fish in this part of the river, along with the mangroves, are dead. You can see for yourselves that the crude oil has destroyed them. If you throw your net into the river, you won’t catch any fish or crabs here anymore.
“For over three weeks now, the entire river has been contaminated, and the spill is spreading to distant communities. You can even smell the crude oil in the air. We urgently call on the government to come to our aid.”
The Nigeria Air Force has, however, denied reports linking its jets shelling illegal bunkering for the wellhead explosion in Buguma.
In a statement by its Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Vice Marshal Olusola Akinboyewa, the NAF dismissed the community leadership’s claims that its airstrikes caused the explosion as “false” and “unfounded.”.
Akinboyewa maintained that the Nigeria Air Force had nothing to do with the unfortunate incident.
The statement read, “The NAF categorically refutes this false and unfounded claim and urges media outlets to exercise due diligence by verifying facts before publishing, rather than relying on assumptions.
“Contrary to the allegations made by the Buguma community spokesperson, who speculated that the fire may have been caused by ageing oil facilities, illegal oil bunkering, or NAF operations, we wish to clarify the situation.
“The wellhead had been leaking crude oil due to prolonged illegal activities in the area. Video recordings from previous missions confirm that the wellhead had been leaking for an extended period, resulting in the accumulation of gas and flammable liquids in the surrounding environment.
“High-definition video recordings from the NAF platform, including footage from December 2024, clearly show the wellhead spilling oil and the barge already burnt before it arrived at the location.
“The onboard camera system ensures transparency and accountability by capturing and documenting all activities, eliminating any possibility of indiscriminate firing at civilians or destroying assets, as falsely alleged.”
It added that the Nigerian Air Force “ensures due diligence before engaging any target so that only illegal refining sites and equipment are destroyed.
“The safety of innocent civilians and the protection of critical infrastructure remain a top priority for the Service,” as he further assured the public of its commitment to professionally carrying out its duties.
“Accordingly, the public may rest assured that the NAF remains steadfast in its mission to protect the nation’s critical infrastructure and combat crude oil theft while upholding the highest standards of professionalism and respect for human life,” the statement added.
On its part, the NNPCL debunked the accusation that its facilities are obsolete or lack maintenance and blamed the incident on the activities of vandals.
The company further said the fire outbreak in assets operated by its subsidiary, NNPC Eighteen Operating Ltd., was caused by pipeline vandals seeking to steal oil.
A statement signed by the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Ltd, Olufemi Soneye, on Monday, said the incident was triggered by an attempt to compromise the Christmas Tree installation and steal crude oil.
The national oil firm said the act of sabotage severely damaged the well’s back pressure valve, marking a troubling trend of repeated attacks on wellheads in the area.
The statement read, “The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited reports that the fire incident at its Buguma Wellhead 008, operated by its subsidiary, NNPC Eighteen Operating Ltd, was directly caused by the activities of pipeline vandals attempting to compromise the Christmas Tree and steal crude oil.
“This unfortunate act of sabotage, which also resulted in severe damage to the well’s back pressure valve, reflects a disturbing pattern of repeated attacks on wellheads in the zone.
“Since March 2023, crude oil theft on this asset has been persistent, with criminals now resorting to extreme measures, including the use of dynamite to destroy installations and illegally access hydrocarbons.”
The company further pledged its commitment to combating these fires, mitigating the financial losses associated with these criminal activities, and providing necessary relief efforts to support those affected.
“NNPC Ltd remains committed to combating these fires and mitigating the financial losses associated with these criminal activities, which place a significant burden on the nation’s economy. The company is working closely with relevant security agencies to put an end to these acts of vandalism.
“Additionally, NNPC Ltd reaffirms its commitment to supporting communities affected by these destructive activities and will continue to provide necessary relief efforts to mitigate the impact on those affected,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, the Director-General of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, Chukwuemeka Woke, has called for immediate repair of the leaking wellhead at Bukuma.
The call was contained in a statement after a tour of the area to evaluate the extent of the leak, which occurred at a facility operated by the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited.
The DG also called for the implementation of continuous surveillance of operational areas by the NNPCL, to prevent future incidents.
The statement reads, “On January 12, 2025, NOSDRA received reports of a fire outbreak at the wellhead, which was attributed to excessive gas release.
“I came to see the report I got from our Port Harcourt office about the incident here in the Bukuma community. We have seen the situation and we are in touch with the operators.
“We have seen the level of pollution and devastation here, it is for us to arrest the fire and rescue the community from further losses. We have been in touch with the NNPCL and the operators and we are certain that the situation is under control.
“From the preliminary investigation of the JIV, it is a case of suspected pipeline vandalism, because we have seen evidence from the preliminary reports of two hoses connected to the manifold being used for illegal activities.
“That is enough evidence that some people were doing some illegal business, but we are still investigating, after which we will issue a final report,” he said.
Woke, who promised NOSDRA would analyse the data collected during the tour and collaborate with stakeholders to bring the situation under control, stressed the commitment of the agency towards ensuring that the welfare of the affected communities was promoted.
On the flip side, the Director of Energy Security in the Office of the National Security Adviser, Ojukaye Flag-Amachree, who hails from the Kalabari area, during an on-the-spot assessment of the situation last Saturday, blamed the spill on illegal bunkering activities.
Flag-Amachree pointed out that it will no longer be business as usual for pipeline thieves who he said have turned the environment into a ‘den of illegal bunkering activities’
Accompanied by officials of the NNPCL in a boat, he stated, “We are in the Bukuma community in Degema Local Government Area. Behind me, you will see a flame coming out. It is Bukuma well 8, operated by NNPC OML-18. The flame is a result of bunkering activities happening around here. The President is very clear that there should be zero illegal bunkering activities in the Niger Delta region and Nigeria,” he said.
While noting that the National Security Adviser is working round the clock to ensure that the President’s directive is carried out in full, he said the office had mandated a team comprising the security agencies and the operators to visit the scene of the incident for “on-the-spot assessment of what has happened and see how we can quickly bring normalcy to this area.”
He added, “Now, the operators have assured us that within the next few days, the flame will be put out and the area cleaned.”
The director, however, advised the people of the community to know that their actions and inactions have consequences. He urged them not to sit and watch criminals come into their communities to destroy the environment and sabotage the economy.
“All hands must be on deck to ensure that we don’t have a repeat of this incident,” Flag-Amachree admonished.
On the allegation that the military airstrikes may have been responsible, he waved it aside, insisting that the community allowed criminals to destroy the environment and sabotage the Nigerian economy.
He asserted, “Assuming but not conceding that it is the Air Force. What brought the Air Force? It is because of the illegal activities here. So the issue is not about throwing blame. It is for us to solve the problem and ensure that it does not repeat itself.”
Our correspondent, who visited the area, reports that in one of the affected regions, crude oil has littered part of the mangrove to knee level, with surrounding plants and trees nearly dead.
While the fire from the wellhead continues to rage, mangroves have been destroyed, and dead fish are seen floating. Fishermen and other community members are counting their losses, which include a halt in economic activities and a looming food crisis, as the spill and fire’s effects are better imagined than experienced.