PPDF Seeks Senate Intervention on Oil Spill, Mining irregularities in Akwa Ibom
By Ekemini Simon
Peace Point Development Foundation, aa Civil Society Organization working on ecological justice in Nigeria has sought the intervention of the Nigerian Senate on the lingering issue of oil spill in Eastern Obolo and its environs coupled with mining irregularities taking place in Akwa Ibom State.
The organization made the call for intervention on Monday during its advocacy visit to the Senator representing Akwa Ibom South, Senator Ekong Sampson at Watbridge Hotel and Suites, Uyo.
The Coordinator of Peace Point Development Foundation, Comrade Umo Isua-Ikoh informed the Senator that oil spill from the operations of Sterling Oil within the OML 13 NNPC Exploration and Production Limited (NEPL) asset had hit Eastern Obolo and its environs on April 13, 2025 and continued to flow till May 30, 2025 when the organization visited the area without the operator adhering to the immediate remediation recommendations of National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA).
Isua-Ikoh said ” According to the NOSDRA report, on April 17, 2025 when the Joint Investigative Visit ended, NOSDRA reported that the spill was caused by equipment failure. They recommended that the oil impacted areas should be cleaned immediately by the company, the failed joint should be repaired immediately, the affected line should be shut immediately and the community should be compensated based on the impacted areas.
” From May 30th that we visited the area, over 50 days had passed without the company adhering to any of the recommendations with the oil spilling into the Atlantic Ocean, leading to the continued destruction of the environment, livelihood and health of the community and loss of Nigeria’s oil reserves.
” This is not only evil but a slap to Nigerians for a foreign company to come in and operate in gross disregard to the wellbeing of its host communities and disregard to the directive of government agencies on their operations.”
Isua-Ikoh noted that besides causing environmental havoc within its host communities and failing to remediate the pollution caused in the environment, the company is using its workers like slaves by disregarding labour laws. He highlighted that besides workers in the company not being allowed to belong to any union, most workers are made to work every day of the week including weekends without breaks coupled with poor remuneration and dismissal without due process.
He called on Senator Ekong Sampson who represents the Senatorial District where the operation takes place to table the issues before the Senate for proper investigations and actions.
The PPDF Coordinator also drew the attention of Senator Sampson who also serves as the Chairman Senate Committee on Solid Minerals Development to the mining irregularities taking place at Ibeno through the operations of Ruitai Mining Limited.
While noting that Ruitai were caught in the web of illegal mining, he explained that according to the Mining Lease the organization received from the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, Ruitai Mining got an exploration license for their mining operations of ilmenite, Titanium, Iron ore in Ibeno effective October 23, 2023 with expiry date of October 22, 2026. He noted that since the government of Akwa Ibom State raised the alarm of their illegal mining operations in August 2023, it implies that the company had started mining illegally months before they got the license.
PPDF Coordinator raised other issues for consideration at the Senate to include Ruitai mining near watercourse, communities not informed about the mining of other minerals such as ilmenite among others, failure to conduct Environmental Impact Assessment and the Communities shortchanged by non-adherence to the Community Development Agreement.
Isua-Ikoh who noted that the communities and the environment bear the brunt of illegal operations with attendant loss of Nigeria’s resources called on Senator Ekong Sampson to bring the issues to the fore at the National Assembly for proper action towards justice and deterrence against other mining companies.
Responding, the Senator Representing Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District, Senator Ekong Sampson commended the Peace Point Development Foundation for their work to uphold justice for the environment and resource blessed communities.
He noted that already the Committee on Solid Minerals Development together with the Committee on Ethics are investigating the operational irregularities of Ruitai Mining Limited. Senator Sampson said the details, data and documents provided by PPDF will deepen the work of the committees to ensure justice is upheld.
On the gray areas in the operations of Sterling Oil, the Senator expressed shock and dismay that an oil spill would be allowed to flow for over a month without immediate remedial steps taken.
He assured that as the representative of the Senatorial District he will work with PPDF, and other relevant government agencies to ensure that the environmental damage caused by Sterling Oil and seeming slavery of Nigerians are addressed by the Senate and proper sanction made if the company is found culpable.