“Even though the spills occurred in 2008, Shell has not mobilized to clean-up the impacted sites and, this is not good for us and the environment. We expected Shell to have done the clean-up and follow up with remediation since, but that has not happened. The spills here have always been due to old, rusty pipes and, Shell knows this fact very well. We want Shell to come and clean-up the impacted sites. We are also not unaware that it was Shell that instigated the setting of the sites on fire; otherwise how come that these two sites that are far apart will all be gutted by fire within the same period?

-Solomon Titus, Indigene of JK4 [Edagberi]

GPS Coordinates:  Elev: 9 m, N: 05°11.333’, E: 006°29.811’ [1st site] and Elev: 8 m, N: 05°11.622’, E: 006°29.672’ [2nd site]

INTRODUCTION:
JK4, otherwise known as EDAGBERI COMMUNITY is one of the four Engene communities called Joinkrama, situated in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State. It is the 4th of the Joinkrama settlements, hence the name JK4 that has become very popular. This community which is settled on the west bank of

Taylor Creek is host to Shell’s Adibawa Flowstation with pipelines and over 40 oil wells operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company.JK4 has experienced series of oil spills, 0ver 90 percent of which are attributed to equipment failure; rusty pipes. Fishing and farming are the major occupation of the people. However, the issue of clean-up and remediation are still lingering in the community. Lately, some spill sites were set ablaze; an action which some community folks see as Shell’s wrong attempt at cleaning the impacted environment. And, consequently, the fire has rather added to the degradation of the environment; destroying medicinal shrubs, animals such as snails, economic trees [raffia palm] and aquatic life.

ERA’s attention was drawn recently by community leaders to the fact that the spill sites are yet to be cleaned since the spill and fire incidents. The Chairman of the Community’s Caretaker Committee also confirmed this on phone. In the light of the above, ERA’s field monitors visited two of the impacted sites for on-the-spot assessment.

TESTIMONIES
Solomon Titus, Indigene of JK4 [Edagberi]
“Even though the spills occurred in 2008, Shell has not mobilized to clean-up the impacted sites and, this is not good for us and the environment. We expected Shell to have done the clean-up and follow up with remediation since, but that has not happened. The spills here have always been due to old, rusty pipes and, Shell knows this fact very well. We want Shell to come and clean-up the impacted sites. We are also not unaware that it was Shell that instigated the setting of the sites on fire; otherwise how come that these two sites that are far apart will all be gutted by fire within the same period?”

Chief Waks Ekwems, 45 year-old and father of 7 children
“The burning of those oil spill sites was masterminded by Shell’s Community Liaison Officer [CLO]. We actually heard information, quote me anywhere, that a particular CLO at Shell’s Kolo Creek Logistic Based at Imiringi was trying to hire some persons in the community to set the sites ablaze. And, not long after that the spill impacted sites caught fire; causing much more damage to the environment. Instead of carrying out recovery of the spilt crude oil and following up with clean-up and remediation, Shell decided to burn off the impacted environment not only as a way of hiding the spilt crude in the environment, but to ensure greater extent of the damaged area so that the compensation will be higher and the CLO will get their own share of whatever is paid as compensation. This is very sad because, even without burning the sites, we know that the crude oil usually spread over a large area. But, no matter the game they are playing, it will come to light and end one day.…”

A Frightening Twist:
There was a frightening twist when another indigene appeared at the second impacted site, just as ERA’s field monitors were walking back towards the main road. He stopped ERA’s guides and Becky Igbori and demanded to know why ERA’s field monitors were taking pictures at the first site. He went on to say Shell has awarded him the contract to remediate that site and he had already started work. He claimed that whatever happened in the environment as a result of spill in the community had always been settled amicably and that both parties (Shell and the community) have always understood each other.
Odogu Obiora threatened to seize and break the camera of ERA’s field monitors, especially as he was annoyed that his name was mention in a previous ERA report as one of the youths in the community used by some Shell staff/contractors to burst the pipelines [in the few cases attributed to sabotage]. Somehow, both ERA’s guides who are his fellow indigenes and ERA’s field monitors succeeded in calming Odogu Obiora to have a change of heart. He was later won over as a friend.

OBSERVATION/CONCLUSION
Parts of the oil spill impacted sites that were set ablaze could be seen right from the main road linking Biseni. It was observed that a portion of the soil at the first site appeared to have been ruffled to make it seem there was excavation of polluted layers. This seemed to be what Odogu Obiora claimed he was doing as part of the contract awarded to him by Shell. Apart from that, there were no other signs of any working going on to show the so-called clean-up or remediation. Nobody was seen at any of the sites; except lifeless remains of tree, shrubs and stunted grasses in the environment.

ERA DEMANDS
1    Shell and other oil companies in the Niger Delta stop further burning of ruptured pipeline sites which has added to further degradation of the environment.
2    The Federal Government investigated reported cases of oil companies setting rupture sites ablaze to cover up their environmental crimes.
3    Shell stop awarding people (some of whom are oil company staff fronts) who have no capacity to clean-up and remediate impacted environment clean-up contracts. In addition the relevant authorities should conduct environmental audit in such places to determine the effect of work purported to have been done.
4    The State and Federal Ministries of Environment and other relevant stakeholders should follow up after JIVs to see if recommendations have been adhered to, especially in terms of compensation, clean-up and remediation of oil spill impacted sites.

WHAT YOU CAN DO
•    Send a letter to your legislator (Local Government, State and Federal) to call Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) to order.
•    Demand a clean up and proper remediation of farmlands affected by the slick from Shell facility
•    Write to Shell addresses below and demand the above and compensation to the community folks

Shell Addresses
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
E-mail: shellnigeria@shell.com

Send copies to National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) Offices below
NOSDRA Offices
National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency
NAIC House 5th Floor Plot 590 Zone AO Central Business District
P.M.B 145 Garki, Abuja.
Email: info@nosdra.org

Port Harcourt
33 King Perekule Street
GRA, Phase II, Port Harcourt
Rivers State.

Warri
17 Swamp Road
Off Esisi Road, GRA
P.M.B. 1150, Warri
Delta State.
Tel: 0803-565-0495

Lagos
King George IV Street,
Games Village
Off Bode Thomas Street,
Surulere Lagos State

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