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Another Oil Blow Out in the Niger Delta: A Hundred Deaths Too Many

 

On the 23 rd of April 2022, another artisanal refining site in the Niger Delta exploded, killing
over 100 persons and injuring dozens. The explosion which occurred near Ohaji-Egbema
local government area of Imo state, on the border with Rivers State, also burnt off large
sections of the adjoining forest, seriously impacting the environment and wildlife. It is sad
that thousands of oil fires continue to occur in Nigeria since the tragic pipeline fire at
Atiegwo, near Jesse, on 18th October 1998 that led to the death of 1082 citizens.

As civil society organizations concerned about the lives, livelihoods, and environment of the
people, we are deeply concerned that in recent times, these explosions have become more
regular and routine.

In October 2021, no less than 25 persons including children were killed when an artisanal
refinery exploded in Rumuekpe community of Rivers state. More recently on the 11th of April
2022, buildings used in the storage of artistically refined petroleum products exploded and
burnt for days at the Bonny-Bille-Nembe jetty in Port Harcourt, killing five persons including
a pregnant woman and a two-months old baby.

Despite the regularity of these explosions and the gory deaths, the last 3 years have witnessed
worsening ecological disasters in the Niger Delta on account of illegal artisanal refineries.

After each gruesome incident, government officials are quick to make statements promising
to stamp out illegal refineries and provide better security. In the same manner, President
Buhari has described this explosion and the fatalities as “catastrophe and a national disaster”
promising to find and prosecute the sponsors of the illegal activities.

We note however, that beyond the statements of condemnation and condolences, government
at the state and federal level have consistently failed to diligently examine the key factors that
drive the proliferation of artisanal refineries despite the exposure of their operators to
fatalities.

Artisanal refineries have grown and expanded principally because government has failed in
its responsibilities to provide meaningful engagement for the people, adequately address the
prevailing poverty and protect the network of oil installations in the Niger Delta region.

It is noteworthy that the two states affected in this latest artisanal refinery explosion incident-
Imo and Rivers- rank among the highest in unemployment in Nigeria according to the
National Bureau of Statistics. It is also important to note that benefit transfer schemes
established by successive governments to address the endemic unemployment and poverty in
the region, including the 13% derivation policy, the Niger Delta Development Commission,
etc., have all failed to address the economic challenges the people of the region face. A point
in reference is the open and endemic corruption which continues to plague the Niger Delta
Development Commission (NDDC).

The poverty in the region have been compounded by the ecological devastation which has
accompanied almost 70 years of ruthless and mindless oil extraction. The millions of barrels
of crude oil routinely spilled into the rivers, swamps and lands of the region, and the constant
flaring of associated gas have rendered the lands, forests, and rivers unproductive, making
traditional income generating vocations of the people unviable.

While we call on the government to take steps to stop the spate of illegal artisanal refining in
the region, we are mindful that this should not be seen as a new opportunity to further
entrench the militarisation of the region and abuse community rights. It is also important to
mention that irrefutable evidence points to the active complicity of law enforcement officers
in establishing and running artisanal refineries and by extension oil theft and the so-called
third-party interferences. Some law enforcement officers do not only grant operational
permits for artisanal refiners to operate freely for a fee, but they are also known to facilitate
all aspects of the operations, and in some instances, own and operate their own artisanal
refineries.

While we recognise that the recourse to artisanal refining of petroleum products for sale in
the local market is a desperate response to the poverty and destitution in the region as well as
non-functional refineries, we nonetheless condemn it, especially as it is fast becoming a key
cause of death among youths in the region; and a major source of pollution. We however call
on the government to go beyond the usual military response it always prefers in the Niger
Delta, and immediately address other factor that makes risking death by roasting seem like
the best available survival alternative for the people of the Niger Delta.

This statement is signed and endorsed by:

  1. Nnimmo Bassey – Health of Mother Earth Foundation
  2. Ken Henshaw – We the People
  3. Akinbode Oluwafemi – Corporate Accountability and Popular Participation Africa (CAPPA)
  4. Prince Chima Williams – Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN)
  5. Emem Okon Kebetkache – Women Development Resource Centre
  6. Auwal Musa Rafsanjani – Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC)
  7. Betty Abah – CEE-HOPE
  8. Tijah Bolton – Akpan Policy Alert 
  9. Constance Meju – Centre for Media, Environment & Dev. Communications
  10. Nne Umoren Women – Initiative for Climate Change
  11. Taiwo Otitolaye – Green Alliance of Nigeria