Kebetkache Demands Accountability over Fresh Oil Spill in Ogoniland
By Ekemini Simon
Non-governmental organization, Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre has called for accountability and proper assessment of the recent oil spill at B-Dere community in Ogoniland, Rivers State.
On May 6, 2025, the Trans Niger pipeline ruptured, releasing thousands of barrels of crude into the B-Dere community in Ogoniland—marking the second major spill in two months and highlighting neglect of aging assets.
In a press release, Executive director of Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre, Dr. Emem Okon said the Trans Niger pipeline burst has sent thousands of barrels of crude oil into residential areas, waterways, and farms in the BDere community.
She noted that despite halting production on the affected line, cleanup preparations have been slow, and oil continues to skin the community’s land and water sources.
Okon noted that after engagements with several stakeholders, regulatory agencies and the community it was determined that equipment failure has been cited as the cause of the rupture, underscoring a broader neglect of aging oil infrastructure in Ogoniland.
She said this devastation has displaced over a hundred families, which have been forced to leave their homes, seeking refuge elsewhere as crude oil makes living conditions untenable.
Okon added “Loss of Livelihoods have been recorded within the community, as farmlands are saturated with oil, destroying crops and fisheries that sustain local families, especially women who cultivate household gardens.
“The stench of crude oil hangs heavy in the air, creating fire and explosion hazards that make daily cooking impossible; women report respiratory irritation and fear for their children’s safety.
“Women in the community, who bear primary responsibility for fetching water, tending family gardens, and feeding their families, have seen their livelihoods destroyed, their health endangered, and their social fabric torn apart.”
The Executive Director noted that from the organization’s onsite assessment, they found that the pipeline trench was “cocked” – meaning it was never properly backfilled – and that workers simply pushed loose sand over pooled oil rather than excavating and removing the contamination.
She said this practice violates internationally recognized oil spill response standards, which require removal of oiled soil or sorbent materials for safe disposal, not burial in place.
Okon explained that burying oil under sand traps toxic hydrocarbons in the soil, where they continue to leach into groundwater and harm the soil, and it prevents effective downstream remediation and monitoring.
The release added “Despite repeated calls from community leaders and other civil society groups, Renaissance Energy (formerly Shell Nigeria) has not engaged with BDere residents to explain the spill’s cause, share their cleanup plan, or discuss compensation.
“Under Nigeria’s National Oil Spill Contingency Plan, operators are expected to coordinate with local stakeholders and regulatory bodies like NOSDRA, yet Renaissance has neither held town hall meetings nor provided any livelihood support to displaced families.
“This absence of dialogue deepens distrust and leaves women—who depend on clean water and farmland for their families’ survival—without any clear path to justice or restoration.”
While noting that Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre stand in solidarity with the community, the Executive Director called on the oil Company-Renaissance Africa Energy, government, and regulatory agencies to halt the oil flow, carry out a full cleanup, and compensate families—especially women—for the losses they have suffered.
The organization called on all stakeholders to recognize that environmental and human rights are inseparable.
“The women of BDere demand not only cleanup and compensation but also accountability for the systemic failures that allowed this disaster to unfold. We stand ready to work with communities, agencies, and partners to restore BDere’s environment and rebuild livelihoods”, the release added.