A group of environmental activists and climate crusaders, the Community Development Advocacy Foundation (CODAF) has raised the alarm over a major environmental and humanitarian disaster unfolding in Odidi Community, Warri South West Council of Delta State following a massive crude oil spill from obsolete and ruptured Trans-Forcados Pipeline (TFP).
The spill, which it attributed to the catastrophic failure of obsolete and severely corroded infrastructure, has left the community saturated in toxic hydrocarbons with the volume of spilled oil still unquantifiable.
As a critical artery in Nigeria’s oil export network currently operated by Heritage Energy Operational Service Limited, the TFP has a long and troubled history. A recent Wood Mackenzie report indicated that the pipeline was originally commissioned in 1971 by the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), alongside the Forcados Oil Terminal.
This timeline places the 54-year-old infrastructure far beyond its intended operational lifespan, raising urgent questions about maintenance and regulatory oversight in one of the world’s most polluted regions.
Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the community, Alagoua Innocent, informed that the leak was detected and reported to Heritage Energy immediately, saying: “We sent them messages, we called their emergency lines,” while providing EnviroGyst with live videos and photographs that depict a scene of profound devastation
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“Farmlands, swamps and waterways-the very lifeblood of the predominantly fishing and farming community-are now slick with a thick, black layer of crude oil. They knew for days, they knew and they did nothing. Now our homes are destroyed,” he lamented.
The community’s frustration boiled over when a Joint Investigation Visit (JVI) team, composed of representatives from the company and other regulatory bodies, finally arrived to assess the spill’s cause and impact. The team was turned back by angry residents who condemned their delayed response as negligent and disrespectful.
Responding to the incident, Executive Director of CODAF, Benin Richard said: “This is a predictable and tragic pattern in which oil and gas companies ignore initial alerts, allowing spillages to spread unchecked. By the time they arrive for the JVI, the source point is often obscured and they can conveniently blame ‘third-party interference’ or sabotage to avoid liability, accountability and cleanup costs. The community’s action, while drastic, is a direct result of a complete and justified breakdown of trust.”
CODAF, however, expresses concern that the implications of the spill remain dire, maintaining that the Niger Delta region’s delicate mangrove ecosystems, already stressed by decades of pollution, face further obliteration.
“The spill will decimate aquatic life, destroying fish stocks and contaminating crops, leading to immediate food insecurity and long-term economic ruin for Odidi residents. “Furthermore, health experts warn of an impending crisis from exposure to toxic fumes and the contamination of drinking water sources, with increased risks of respiratory illnesses, skin diseases and cancers,” the group further lamented.
Curiously, as typical of oil firms operating in Nigeria, Heritage Energy Operational Service Limited has yet to issue an official statement regarding the cause of the spill or its response plan, betraying sentiments that its silence stands in stark contrast to the visual evidence of a community drowning under the weight of its corroding infrastructure.
As the crude oil continues to seep into the land and waters of Odidi, the incident serves as a grim testament to the human and ecological cost of Nigeria’s oil dependency. It underscores the critical need for: Immediate and comprehensive cleanup funded by the responsible company; Full transparency in the JVI process to accurately determine cause and liability; A systematic audit and replacement programme for the Niger Delta’s vast network of aging, corroded pipelines and adequate compensations for Odidi Community people.
For the people of Odidi, waiting for action is no longer an option. Their world has been soaked black, and the clock is ticking on a catastrophe that could have been prevented.
As of press time, neither Heritage Energy nor the relevant government agencies, including the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), have initiated any process of dialogue with representatives of Odidi Community to discuss remediation, compensation or even immediate relief efforts.
In a sharp rebuke of this silence, Benin expressed his profound disappointment, saying: “The ongoing neglect is not just irresponsible; it is a profound and intentional injustice. Heritage Energy’s failure to act on the initial alarm directly enabled this disaster and now their silence and refusal to engage with the community compound the crime.
“Furthermore, the regulating agencies, whose mandate is to protect our people and environment, have become silent accomplices. Their absence and inaction in the face of such devastation signal a complete abdication of their duty. This is a blatant display of corporate irresponsibility and regulatory failure at its worst. The Odidi people are not just fighting an oil spill; they are fighting against an age-long systemic abandonment.”