Bodo Community, Gokana LGA, Rivers State, Nigeria.
Date of visit: 20 July 2010

INTRODUCTION
Bodo community is located in Gokana Local Govt Area of Rivers State and has an estimated population of 69,000 people, making it  the largest indigenous community in the state. ‘Bodo City’ as it fondly called is host to Shell’s 24 and 28 inch Trans-Niger Pipeline.
The people of Bodo are predominantly fishermen and farmers. The creek serves as a fishing source and also a travelling route to neighbouring communities like Bonny, Andoni, Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria’s neighbour Cameroon.
The community has over the years suffered serious spills that have led to devastation of aquatic life and farmlands as well as threat to health and food security. In August 2008 the 24-inch Trans-Niger Pipeline spilled a huge amount of crude into the creek. Again in February 2009 it was discovered that the 28-inch section of the pipeline spilled crude oil into the creek. The people waited for Shell to pay compensation and clean up the environment but never got any response from the company.
ERA/FoEN monitor gathered that it took more a year after the incident and massive loss of livelihood for Shell to provide them a few bags of rice, beans and other food items. A boat ride on the Bodo Creek reveals the huge devastation on the water. ERA monitors noted that since the first spill and also the second spill, the entire creek is yet to be cleaned up.

•    The spill clearly visible at the shoreline

•    A fish farmer trying to find his way through the spill in the river
Testimonies from Community People
Chief Peter Le-Ele, Fisherman
“Our source of sustainable of livelihood used to be fishing and farming for many years. Now it is difficult for fishermen to harvest fish because of the oil spill in the community which has drastically reduced fish catch. The few remaining fishermen can not get a single fish or any aquatic produce from the river; they have take a 45 minutes drive to Bonny and most times to neighbouring communities and sometimes even as far as Cameroon. The pollution has also had negative impacts on our well being as it poison’s our lungs and gives us eye problems. These are some of the things we have been experiencing in this community.
We have made efforts as a community and as fishermen to get shells attention but to come and do a clean up and pay us compensation but shell turned  a deaf ear to our complains. we are not happy with their involvement with issues of the Niger Delta, shell is accountable for some of the conflict in the region because of the divide and rule system they practice in host communities, I call on United States and united Nations to help checkmate the activities of shell in this part of the country”.
Gagaa Giadom, Fisherman and Trader,
“…I have been on the river since morning still I could not get any catch. The spill has really affected my business and the business of the entire community.
I am hunger. I can not send my children to school because there is no fish in the river for me to sell.The spill has made some of my colleagues abandon the river, forcing many of them to try other things for survival. We are farmers in this community and even when the river is polluted and we try to do some farming, it is still the same. We don’t have anything to depend on again, rather we move to the neighbouring communities to buy fish and it’s not enough for us. We are not happy over what is happening. We even contacted Shell on several occasions but they have refused to listen to us instead they have been playing games with us. They use members of this community to cause confusion so that we can not come together to ask for compensation. Shell should come and do the clean up, pay us our compensation and pack their equipments away from our land”. 

Observations
ERA monitor noticed while on the creek, the activities of local refiners on some farmlands. It was gathered that a fire erupted during their operations some two months back. The activities of these refiners have added to the devastation of the environment. Most places that ERA monitor visited by boat ride showed great presence of crude on the water.

ERA DEMANDS:
•    Shell should mobilize immediately to site to do a massive clean up of the creek.
•    A Joint Investigation Visit [JIV] should be arranged immediately to investigate the cause of seasonal leakage and the report of the JIV made available to all stakeholders, including the community.
•    The people of Bodo should have a copy of the JIV report and all legitimate steps must be made to ensure they obtain it from the JIV team.
•    Shell should adequately and promptly compensate Bodo Community for specific and general damage to the environment and property.
•    The Federal and State authorities should take appropriate steps to ensure the above, that the impacted site is not only cleaned, but that the polluter pays adequately.

WHAT YOU CAN DO
•    Send letters to Shell and it’s offices demanding that they clean the spill on Bodo creek.
•    Demand that they pay adequate compensations.
•    Send copies of your letters to news media near to you and also share on social networks
Shell Offices

LAGOS
The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd.
Freeman House, 21/22 Marina, PMB 2418
Lagos
Nigeria
Tel: +234 1 2769999 or 08070269999

WARRI
The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd.
P.O.Box 230
Warri, Nigeria
Tel: +234 53  449999

ABUJA
The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd.
House 13, Shell Trustees Estate,
Madeira Street, Off Shehu Shagari Way
Maitama, Abuja
Nigeria
Tel: +234 9 413 8110

PORT-HARCOURT
The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd.
P.O.Box 263, Shell Industrial Area, Rumuobiakani
Port Harcourt
Nigeria
Tel: +234 84 429999

Manager, Media Relations
Shell Nigeria
Tel:  +234 1 27 65019
Fax: 234 1 2636791
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