Mystery oil spill grounds fishing in Bayelsa community

Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa

Fishing activities have been disrupted in Egweama community, Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, after a crude oil spill polluted its shoreline and adjoining waters, leaving fishermen stranded and threatening the livelihoods of residents.

The spill, which occurred on Sunday, November 1, 2026, reportedly damaged fishing nets and contaminated the waters on which the predominantly fishing community depends for its livelihood.

Environmental Conservation Agriculture and Rural Development (ECARD) confirmed the incident in a field report released on Monday after an investigation led by its environmental activist, Alagoa Morris.

The organisation said the incident was corroborated by the Chairman of Egweama Community Development Committee (CDC), Mr Tonye Yemoleigha, and other residents.

Although the source of the spill has yet to be established, some community members have accused Aiteo of responsibility.

They alleged that vessels transporting crude oil from Nembe Creek to the Atlantic Ocean might have discharged oil into the surrounding waters.

One of the affected residents, Ms Ebimiete David, said crude oil began washing ashore between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Sunday.

She explained that the volume increased around 8 p.m. as the rising tide pushed large quantities of crude oil towards the shoreline.

According to her, residents spent several hours scooping the oil into containers until about 3 a.m., when the tide receded and carried much of the crude oil back into the sea.

A fishing camp settler, Chief Souyo Amasara Alagoa-Inengite II, said the pollution had prevented fishermen from going out to sea.

He recalled that the water surface was covered with crude oil when fishermen attempted to cast their nets between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Sunday.

Alagoa-Inengite said some fishing nets had also been damaged, leaving several fishermen stranded and unable to pursue their primary means of livelihood.

During its assessment, ECARD observed several jerrycans, drums and plastic containers filled with crude oil recovered by residents along the shoreline.

Some young people were also seen transferring the recovered oil into containers on Monday morning.

In a statement titled ‘Oil Spill: Egweama Community Cries Out for Immediate Help, Cleanup’, Yemoleigha appealed to the Bayelsa State Government to intervene urgently.

He urged the government to compel the oil company or any other organisation found responsible for the incident to undertake immediate remediation and clean-up of the polluted environment.

The CDC chairman also called for medical assistance and relief materials to alleviate the socio-economic hardship caused by the spill.

He said the incident had worsened the plight of residents, whose livelihoods depended largely on fishing and other activities sustained by the surrounding waters.

Meanwhile, ECARD described the incident as another indication of the persistent challenge of offshore oil pollution, particularly where operators deny responsibility, making it difficult to identify the source of contamination.

The organisation recalled a similar incident in Foropa community, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, in January 2024, when residents raised the alarm over an unidentified oil spill along the Atlantic coastline.

It also cited an offshore spill recorded in 2021 around Sangana in Brass and Koluama in Southern Ijaw, in which Conoil was allegedly implicated.

ECARD said although the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) collected samples from the affected locations, the findings of the investigation were never made public.

The organisation stressed the need for scientific fingerprint analysis of crude oil samples to establish the source of offshore spills and ensure that responsible operators are held accountable.

It called on NOSDRA, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Bayelsa State Ministry of Environment to investigate the Egweama incident, identify its source and ensure an immediate clean-up.

ECARD also urged regulatory agencies to strengthen environmental monitoring, improve funding and equip laboratories to conduct timely fingerprint analysis of crude oil samples.

Additionally, it advocated stronger collaboration among regulatory agencies, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigerian Navy to improve surveillance and responses to offshore pollution.

The organisation maintained that oil spills should not be allowed to deprive fishing communities of their livelihoods, endanger their health or deny them the right to a clean and safe environment.