GPS Coordinates:  Elev:-22m, N 04°43.139’, E 005°59.739’ [the community]

Ikeinghenbiri is one of the communities of Olodiama clan in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. It is located along the Ikebiri River and two of it’s closest neighbours are Ikebiri and Korokorosei. Fishing and farming are the main occupations of the people. They also engage in hunting and logging activities and; depending on their immediate environment for sustenance.
ERA field monitor visited the community on 23 October 2011, following a Save Our Souls (SOS) from the community about a recent oil spill that polluted their swamp thus threatening their livelihood.
ERA field monitor was conducted round the impacted sites by the Chairman of the Community Development Committee [CDC], Mr. Marshall J.Amabebe and another indigene, Mr. Aganbite S.Akpoku.

Testimonies from other community leaders and folks are documented below:

Nimiworimene Owen, vegetable seller
The whole swamp is severely impacted. I do not think anybody can go to that place for any fishing activity again. This is a big disappointment for some of us who used to set our fishing traps in that swamp. We cannot go there anymore. What must one go there for? Nothing. The crude oil pollution has killed everything. Even after the flood we can no longer hunt for snails there anymore because this spill has wiped out every moving thing in the area. Anyone going there now is just to go and inhale the crude oil and get soiled

Miss Ayibaditimi Adikoko
The whole swamp has been wasted by the crude oil spill. The slick has covered the entire swamp. I could not even breathe freely while I was within that polluted environment. I had to cover my nose with my cloth because of the pungent smell that could make someone sick. In some sections you will not even see water. All you see is crude oil. And, no fish or animal can be seen alive there again. I saw only dead fish floating here and there. The impact of the spill is much, and we cannot use the place for anything meaningful. It is unfortunate because this incident has denied us the utility of the environment. Agip came and clamped the ruptured section of the pipeline and that is all. We have not heard anything about clean up. We pray that the company come and clean up the swamp for us

Mr. Aganbite S.Akpoku
When I came here last week I saw a lot of dead animals: fish, snakes and snails. We are going to lose a lot because this area of our bush used to give us many things. As you can see even these plants, including the trees will die later because of this crude oil here. As for the animals, except those that were not within the area when the crude oil spread, they have all died. Those that miss their way into this environment will die too, like the electric fish we just saw floating a while ago. And other lucky animals are fleeing from the polluted environment

Mr. Marshall J. Amabebe
This spill occurred in the last week of September 2011. I was not in town when the spill occurred and, being the CDC Chairman, my people called me on phone to hint me immediately that an oil spill has happened in our environment. The community promptly informed the owners of the crude oil bearing pipeline, Agip. Sadly, after Agip first came and we led them to locate the actual site because they did not know where it occurred, they later came back with a gunboat and soldiers on October 2 and without any community representatives, they accessed the ruptured site and clamped the section the was leaking and left. Our people felt very intimidated by the gunboat and soldiers. Up till today, Agip has not told us the cause of spill and we are not comfortable with this at all.
Ordinarily, we expect Agip to ensure that all stakeholders are invited to the spill site before clamping is effected with a view to ascertain the cause of spill. We demand that Agip tell us the cause of spill. But then, they have to show that there was a Joint Investigation Visit [JIV] to the spill site. If there was one, then we demand to have the JIV report so that we can know the cause of spill and related recommendations contained therein.
It is wrong for Agip to effect clamping without a JIV. And, if there was a JIV, then our community must be represented. But in this case, there was none. You have seen how the crude oil has spread in the whole swamp. It would be unthinkable to just keep silent considering the extent of damage done to the environment. It has affected both the fauna and flora in the environment. We suffered this same thing last year, even though the JIV report of that one indicated equipment failure. The impact of last year’s spill was such that those who managed to catch some fish and crayfish had to use detergent to wash them before cooking them for food. It was so serious. You had to do that; otherwise you won’t have fish in your meal.
Other community leaders who concurred with the statements of the CDC Chairman were: Chief C.N.Adikoko [Deputy Chief of the community] and Chief Clifford Opuofoni who insisted that Agip should do the proper thing by carrying out a JIV to ascertain cause of spill and recommend accordingly. Besides this, they want Agip to come and clean up the impacted environment. Some women who also confirmed the incident and the damaging effects were: Madam Ugoubiri Owen and Mrs. Toinnpre Marshall.


OBSERVATION/CONCLUSION
ERA monitor observed that due to the rains and flood, the current of water from the Ikebiri River was rushing into the rivulet leading into the impacted swamp. Fish and crayfish traps strategically placed along the water course leading to the impacted swamp were seen and women were noticed checking and repositioning their fish traps.  And, it is most likely that when the flood will recede, the crude oil in the impacted swamp may flow out to pollute the Ikebiri River too. The spill was seen to have spread in the swamp and, very thick in some areas. It was even difficult to pass some sections of the rivulet without being soiled by crude oil that has stained the shrubs and plants by the side. Some dead fishes were noticed floating in the spill impacted water. Some of the little plants were also showing signs of dying slowly, including fading and falling leaves. Unless some positive steps are taken, the trees in the polluted environment might die before the next rainy season.

RECOMMENDATIONS
1    Agip should let the community have a copy of the JIV report; if a JIV was carried out.
2    The community should do a follow-up to know the real cause of the spill since it has JIV report of previous spills in the community from Agip.
3    Agip should take measures to stop the crude oil from spreading further in the swamp and into the Ikebiri River
4    Agip should cleanup the impacted environment: the swamp and any other site polluted by the spill.
5    The National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency [NOSDRA] and other related agencies of government should take positive steps to ensure the polluted environment is cleaned by Agip.
6    Depending on findings, adequate compensation be paid to victims of the spill by Agip.

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