Eni denies Oil leak at Ikienghenbiri community in Bayelsa as Agip officials recover spilled crude

Eni denies Oil leak at Ikienghenbiri community in Bayelsa as Agip officials recover spilled crude

Eni, Italian parent company of Nigerian Agip Oil Company says it has no evidence of an oil leak from Tebidaba-Ogboinbiri crude line operated by (NAOC) its subsidiary in Nigeria even as oil recovery from the site is ongoing with military cover provided by Nigerian government.

Domenico Spina, Media Relations and Social Network Press Officer, Eni in an email response to the incident on Wednesday said that the oil firm was not aware of the leakage.

“I confirm that to our knowledge we had no evidence about an oil spill in that area. That's for your background.,” Domenico.

The leak which occurred in October discharged massive volume of crude into the surrounding environment at Ikienghenbiri, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, Bayelsa.

Meanwhile a site visit showed that officials of NAOC had commenced recovery of spilled crude from Ikienghenbiri community.

Deposits of crude were seen in the area while large plastic tanks containing recovered crude were sighted by aa Correspondent who visited the site..

One of the workers seen at the site said : ’’I am Finiyofa Nathaniel Corson, the Financial Secretary of Ikienghenbiri community.

“We are engaged in recovery of spilled crude oil here. The spill occurred about two weeks.

“I am here as one of those hired for the recovery job.

“What we are doing in essence is taking the crude oil from the environment to the Geepee tanks and from there they will be transferred to the community.

“From the community the crude oil would be taken away by the company to wherever they desire. And, today is my first time of getting involved with this task relating to the current oil spill.’’ He said

 A resident of the area, Mr Marshall Josiah said that more than 50 plastic tanks of 2,000 litres of crude have alrady been recovered by officials of NAOC qs qt Thursday.

Community sources at Ikienghenbiri said the oil discharege had crippled economic activities in the predominant fishing and farming coastal settlement by the pollution of water bodies and land

Josiah said that oil recovery was still ongoing at the spill site.

Josiah, a former Community Development Committee Chairman in Ikienghenbiri, said that the community had reported the incident promptly but the oil firm delayed its response resulting to the massive leakage.

“Due to the high volume of crude oil leakage, they have not been able to commence the process of clamping the ruptured point.

“They are looking for a way to evacuate the crude oil from the place to enable them access the oil bearing pipe and repair it.

“That is what they are doing now; recovery of spilled crude oil. No JIV has been done on this particular spill incident.

“I saw several Geepee (plastic) tanks being used for the recovery.

“From my observation it may take them up to two or three months to conclude that task, while much of the surrounding bush/ swamp have been completely polluted,” Josiah said.

The community leader regretted that the pollution had depleted the arable land and fishing grounds available to Ikienghenbiri for fishing and farming.

He called for urgent steps to bring relief to the people affected by the spill.

When contacted, Mr Idris Musa, Director in charge of Oil Field Assesment at National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency confirmed that the agency got reports on the incident