Itsekiri communities cry out over devastating ocean surge

Residents of Itsekiri communities in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State have cried out for urgent assistance as ocean surge sweeps through the area leaving houses, schools, and other infrastructure devastated in its wake.

Ogheye Eghoroke, Orere, Ogheye Zion and Ogheye Ajadogo are all communities in the Warri North Local Government Area of the state which ocean surge has swept through for the past two weeks.

Office of the Sole Representative of the Olu of Warri/Liaison to Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Edema Collins Oritsetimeyin, raised the alarm in a statement on Tuesday.

In the statement issued through Etchie Mathew Eyitemi of the Media and Publicity Unit, he disclosed that the Itsekiri communities are facing a dire situation due to the relentless ocean surge that has wreaked havoc on their livelihoods, homes, schools and vital infrastructure.

“Ugbeni Primary School, the only school in the community, had been completely washed into the ocean.

“Several homes, including the residence of the community leader (Olare-Aja), built in 2020 by Hon. Daniel Ireyenieju, have been lost to the advancing waters.

“Some residents, whose homes have been washed away, revealed that they are now forced to squeeze ten people into a single room for shelter.

“Most alarming is the fact that the community’s only borehole, which served as the sole source of drinking water, has also been claimed by the ocean, leaving residents with no choice but to rely on ocean water for bathing, without access to clean drinking water.

“The situation in the neighboring communities is worse. Ogheye Zion and Ogheye Ajadogo have been entirely submerged, with no trace of the communities’ existence.

“Efforts to reach Orere, the adjacent community to Ogheye Eghoroke, were unsuccessful due to the lack of access to a jetty, as much of the community has been swallowed by the ocean.

“Legacy of Oil Exploration Ogheye is host to Chevron’s offshore oil block, Okan Field, where oil was first discovered in 1963.

“For over 60 years, oil exploration activities have taken their toll on the shoreline communities.

“The combined effects of oil extraction and natural forces from the Atlantic Ocean have eroded the coastlines, leaving these communities more vulnerable to the encroaching ocean.

“As a result, homes, schools, and the livelihoods of thousands of residents, whose primary occupation is fishing, have been destroyed due to pollution, oil spills, and other harmful consequences of oil exploration activities.

“Additionally, the high infant mortality rate in the region is alarming, and this is largely attributed to toxic pollutants saturating the environment, further endangering the lives of these communities.

“We’re calling on the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Delta State Government, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), the United Nations, and all well-meaning individuals and organizations to come to the aid of these vulnerable communities.

“The destruction of critical infrastructure such as schools, homes, and clean water sources, combined with the loss of entire communities to the ocean, has created a humanitarian crisis that demands immediate action.

“We also call on Chevron, given its long-standing presence in the area, to lead efforts in addressing this crisis. The damage caused by decades of oil exploration must be countered by meaningful action to support the communities that have borne the brunt of environmental degradation.

“This ongoing genocide must be addressed with urgency, as the future of these communities hangs in the balance. The goose that lays the golden egg should not be abandoned.

“Together, we can help restore the homes and lives of the people of Ogheye Eghoroke and their neighboring communities,” the statement read.

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