Delta community drags Chevron for abandoning victims of oil spill

An American oil giant, Chevron Nigeria Limited has been dragged by the indigenes of Benikrukru community in Gbaramatu Kingdom; Warri-South West Local Government Area of Delta State for refusing to compensate the victims of an oil spill they alleged has endangered their source of livelihood.

The oil spill, which occurred in February, 2021, according to the community, is from CNL’s 16″ Makaraba-Utonana-Abiteye Right of Way, in Chevron’s western area of operations, Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State.

They explained that the crude oil discharged into the rivers and environs has since resulted in large scale devastation and degradation of the environment, disrupted fishing and farming activities and visited the people of the areas with untold hardship.

This was contained in a statement issued and jointly signed by Mr. Solomon Eris, Chairman; Mr. Kingsley Ukuli, Secretary and Pastor Blessing Tortor, PRO demanding for an adequate compensation in both financial and material terms to all the affected individuals and communities in Gbaramatu kingdom.

Tagged: “Our Position On Oil Spill That Occured At 16′ Makaraba-Utonana -Abiteye Trunkline Operated By Chevron Nigeria Limited In Gbaramatu Kingdom,” the indigenes noted that in the past one year, Chevron which prides itself as one of the best organisations in the country when it comes to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has not bothered to provide the communities with relief materials.

In the statement which reads in part, they lamented that “The entire indigenes of Benikrukru community in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri-South West Local Government Area of Delta State, have observed with dissatisfaction, that after over one year, an oil spillage occurred at the 16” Makaraba-Utonana-Abiteye trunkline owned and operated by an American oil giant, Chevron Nigeria Limited, located within the kingdom, the company, has against all known logic continued to demonstrate lackadaisical attitude to the affected individuals and the entire Benikruku communities.

“Ordinarily, we expected Chevron to come up with a clearly and adequately conceptualized remediation plan and proposal on how to compensate the affected individuals and communities. But to our greatest chagrin, Chevron via series of statements/releases absolved itself of any wrong doing. Noting that the said spillage neither emanated from nor has anything to do with their facilities.

“This high level of crass corporate irresponsibility on the part of the American oil giant continued until a Joint Investigation was carried out and established beyond reasonable doubt that suspected Chevron facility which was installed in the year 1974, has recorded what the report described as TWO PIN HOLES, a development that did not only end Chevron’s season of lies but established its culpability.

“Those that made up the JIV team include, but not limited to; Chevron Nigeria Limited team , representatives from the National Oil Detective And Response Agency (NOSDRA), Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Delta State Ministry of Environment, the honourable Commissioner for Oil and Gas, Delta State, and representatives of affected communities in Gbaramatu Kingdom.