A fresh oil spill has reportedly occurred in the Ikthe Ata community in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Naija News reports that the spill, which took place in the early hours of Monday, May 5, 2025, was identified on a 14-inch pipeline right of way operated by Renaissance Africa Energy Company Ltd (RAEC).
This company recently acquired the assets of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) of Nigeria Limited in a $2.4 billion divestment deal.
According to Guardian, eyewitnesses reported that the oil spill was likely caused by third-party interference.
Investigations suggested that vandals had excavated the ground and damaged the 14-inch pipeline along the Okordia-Rumuekpe pipeline right of way, resulting in crude oil spewing into the environment. This is the latest in a series of oil spills that have plagued the region.
The oil spill was confirmed by the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) through its one Million Youth Volunteers Network of Human Rights Defenders and Promoters in the Niger Delta, as well as volunteers working under its Crude Oil Spill Alert System (COSAS) in the area.
Since January 2025, Rivers State has experienced approximately four major oil spills across various local government areas, raising serious environmental concerns.
The Executive Director of YEAC-Nigeria, Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, expressed grave concern over the spill’s impact on the environment.
“The spill is seriously discharging crude oil into the environment and destroying the ecosystem in the surrounding area,” Fyneface stated, emphasizing the severe environmental consequences of the incident.
Fyneface has called for urgent action by the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to conduct a joint investigation visit (JIV) to the site.
He urged NOSDRA to determine the actual cause of the spill and to invoke the relevant provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), 2021, to hold the alleged perpetrators accountable.