The Center For Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ) has called on President Mohammadu Buhari, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timiprye Silver, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, and other relevant stakeholders to prevail on Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPCD) halt further the use and dumping of hazardous chemicals in Sokebolou and Yokiri Waterways of Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.
The National Coordinator of CEPEJ, Comrade Mulade Sheriff, in a statement stated that the attention of the rights group was drawn to the menace and investigation carried out clearly showed that SPDC deposited some unnamed hazardous chemical into Sokebolou, Yokiri Obotobo 1 & 2, and other communities’ waterways at the Ogulagha Kingdom in Burutu Local Government Area of the state.
He disclosed that the chemical was already constituting serious health hazards to the people and has also led to the destruction of aquatic organisms living in the waterways.
The group said it gathered from some of the leaders of the communities, among which are, Prince Churchill Dose, chairman Sokebolou community and Engr. Moses Ibilou, chairman Yokiri community that the deadly chemicals were deposited by SPDC Jack-up rig operations activities at its WELL 73.
It added that the poisonous substance has resulted in the death of fishes and other aquatic organisms in their waterways.
“The leaders also stated that their lives are no longer safe in the communities as their people are coming down with complex health challenges due to the chemical.
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“They said the chemical is killing fishes in their waterways and more frightening is that the people from within and other areas are coming to Sokebolou, Yokiri and Obotobo 1 and 2 communities waterways to pick up fishes killed by the said dangerous chemical deposited by SPDC operations within the communities,” Mulade noted.
CEPEJ, therefore, called on the Federal Government, NOSDRA, Delta State government, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and other relevant regulatory bodies to call and order SPDC to stop the ongoing environmental pollution.
The group also enjoined SPDC to take immediate action to avoid further spread of the chemical as well as provide relief materials to the affected communities immediately to cushion the effect on their health and means of livelihood.
“We also need health-related agencies to access the impact of the chemicals on the environment, the inhabitants and the aquatic animals through environmental social impact assessment to ascertain the level of damage done to the people and the area,” the group pleaded.
As of the time of filing the report, SPDC’s media officials, who were contacted via WhatsApp, were yet to respond.
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