Location: K-Dere, Gokana L.G.A, Rivers State
Date:       16th April, 2007      

There is an ongoing oil spill at Wells 40 and 50, two of Shell’s oil facilities in Kegbara-Dere Community (K-Dere) in Gokana Local Government Area, Ogoni, Rivers State.

The wells, according to K-Dere Community Youth Leader, Bari-Ara Kpalap, who is also a member of MOSOP, were installed in the early 1970s and have neither been serviced nor changed till date.

He said that the spill, which started late last year, caught fire in February, 2007, but Shell’s response to the community’s complaint was to put out the fire and commission a contractor to make ridges around the spill site to contain it. Further effort by the community to get Shell to stop the spill and carry out remediation of the environment and compensation of affected parties has been fruitless.

Apart from the surrounding farmlands, which the spill has destroyed, rainwater carries the crude through a nearby culvert into the river, thus worsening the contamination and pollution of the river and further destroying aquatic life.


ERA demands that

1.   An immediate action by Shell to stop the spill and service the facilities at wells 40 and 50.
2.    Clean up and remediation of polluted farmlands and the river.
3.    Compensation of affected parties (farmers).
4.    Inspection and repair of all Shell’s facilities in Ogoni to prevent further spills and danger to the lives and means of livelihood of the people.