Oil-Loading Spill Coats Nembe Creek and Mangroves; Communities Demand Rapid Cleanup and Compensation

Fishing settlements along Nembe Creek in Bayelsa State say a recent crude oil spill has fouled the waterway, coated nearby mangroves and halted livelihoods, according to local environmental monitors and community leaders.

Environmental Conservation Agriculture and Rural Development (ECARD) reported the incident occurred on the Nembe Creek field inside Oil Mining Lease (OML) 29, operated by Nembe Exploration & Production Limited. ECARD said a barge loading crude from a manifold reportedly ruptured, releasing oil into the creek and onto mangrove banks.

Observers who visited the site on Aug. 24 found visible crude on stretches of the creek and adjacent mangroves. Bayelsa's environment ministry and the Nembe Oil and Gas Committee later joined a joint investigation visit and attributed the spill to operational failure, according to information shared with community representatives.

Community Impact and Immediate Needs

Agent Waya, the paramount ruler of Nembe Creek communities, told monitors the spill has intensified hardship across settlements. Women from affected villages staged a protest at the facility, demanding relief supplies, a comprehensive damage assessment and compensation after what they described as a delayed official response.

Women’s leader Ebi Otokolo said the polluted river is no longer usable for fishing, household water needs or other livelihood activities. Resident Love Mark reported that crude oil has ruined fishing nets; replacing a single net costs between N150,000 and N170,000 (roughly $113–$128 at current exchange rates), a heavy burden for affected families.

Chief Alagoa Morris, ECARD’s lead field monitor, warned that rising tides could carry the oil farther into mangroves and endanger the marine species local families rely on. He added that crude fumes were detectable from more than a mile away during the Aug. 24 visit.

History, Response and Next Steps

ECARD noted the new spill fits a pattern of recurring pollution at Nembe Creek, a field with a legacy dating to Shell Petroleum Development Company operations in the 1970s; Shell sold its interest in the asset in 2015. The group cited previous incidents, including notable spills in 2019 and 2021.

As of Aug. 26, ECARD said neither the total volume spilled nor the full extent of the affected area had been clearly established, underscoring the need for independent monitoring, rapid cleanup and transparent damage assessments. Residents have asked for immediate relief materials within three days because fishing has effectively stopped in many camps.

Daukoru Benjaka, former youth president of the Ewelesuo community, urged that Ewelesuo and its fishing camps be included in the official investigation so nearby communities are not excluded from damage assessments and compensation planning.

Broader Context

Local leaders and environmental monitors say this incident highlights the wider harms associated with fossil fuel extraction — including water and air pollution that can worsen health outcomes and undermine livelihoods — and the urgent need for stronger oversight and cleaner energy transitions.

ECARD is calling for an urgent, comprehensive cleanup and remediation program, independent monitoring, transparent damage assessments and prompt relief and compensation so ecosystems and fishing-dependent economies can begin to recover.