An oil spill has been reported in the Ikata community of Ahoada East Local Government Area, Rivers State, igniting fresh concerns among residents and environmental groups over continued ecological degradation in the region.
The incident, which occurred early Monday, is suspected to have originated from a 14-inch pipeline along the Okordia–Rumuekpe right of way. The pipeline is currently operated by Renaissance Africa Energy Company Ltd (RAEC), which recently acquired the asset from Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) as part of a $2.4 billion divestment deal.
The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) confirmed the spill in a statement issued in Port Harcourt and signed by its Executive Director, Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface. The organization’s field teams, part of the One Million Youth Volunteers Network and the Crude Oil Spill Alert System (COSAS), reported that the spill may have been caused by sabotage, with evidence of pipeline vandalism likely linked to oil theft.
Dr. Fyneface described the situation as critical, noting that crude oil was “seriously spewing into the environment and destroying the ecosystem.”
Volunteers who arrived at the site early Monday observed signs of excavation, reinforcing suspicions of third-party interference.
YEAC-Nigeria has called on the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to immediately conduct a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) to determine the exact cause of the spill. The group is also urging authorities to apply the full weight of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 to prosecute those responsible.
As of the time of this report, neither RAEC nor NOSDRA has issued a formal statement on the incident.
The Ikata spill adds to the growing number of oil-related environmental disasters in the Niger Delta, a region long plagued by pipeline vandalism, oil theft, and systemic environmental degradation despite ongoing reforms in Nigeria’s energy sector.