Akwa Ibom: Communities cry out as Oil Spill ravages eastern Obolo
By Theresa Donatus
Months of unchecked oil spillage in Eastern Obolo are taking a heavy toll on coastal communities, as residents of Emere-Oke and Akpabom grapple with environmental devastation blamed on Sterling Oil Exploration & Energy Production Company Limited.
A civil society group, Peace Point Development Foundation (PPDF), is now calling for swift intervention to halt the pollution and hold the company accountable.
In a statement made available to The Daily Times in Uyo, on Tuesday, following a fact-finding mission to the impacted areas, the group revealed alarming levels of contamination in mangrove forests and marine ecosystems caused by the oil spill.
The PPDF identified the source of the pollution as Sterling Oil’s Durga 4 rig, part of the company’s operations under the OML 13 marginal oil field in Akwa Ibom State.
“We witnessed widespread damage to mangrove vegetation in Akpabom and direct oil discharge into the Atlantic from Emere-Oke,” said PPDF Coordinator, Comrade Umo Isua-Ikoh.
READ ALSO: Anambra: Two Arrested for Attacking Security Operatives, Burning Army Vehicle
“This pollution has been ongoing for months, and the silence and inaction are unacceptable.”
The organization expressed dismay that despite repeated alerts from local residents, Sterling Oil has not stopped the leak or initiated any visible cleanup. The PPDF also referenced previous accusations by the Akwa Ibom State Government, alleging the company’s encroachment and violations of land use agreements in the region.
The Peace Point Development Foundation is demanding: An immediate stop to the spill, A comprehensive environmental cleanup, Compensation for affected communities, Investigation and enforcement by the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA).
The NGO urged the Akwa Ibom State Government to intensify its regulatory oversight of extractive companies operating within the state to protect both people and ecosystems.
“Environmental destruction of this scale affects not just the land and water, but the survival of entire communities whose lives depend on fishing and farming,” Isua-Ikoh emphasized.
As pressure mounts, the local population and civil society actors await a formal response from both Sterling Oil and regulatory authorities. The continued delay in action, they warn, could lead to irreversible ecological harm.
