Fresh facts into the circa August 22 oil spill at the Nembe Creek facility emerged yesterday, indicating that Nembe Exploration and Production Limited may not have been responsible for the incident.
Sources familiar with the development told THISDAY last night that the vessel involved was a contractor’s remediation barge not connected to the company’s operational activities.
This is as environmental groups and some media reports linked the incident to crude-loading activities at the facility operated by Nembe Exploration and Production Limited, formerly Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Limited, within Oil Mining Lease (OML) 29.
The Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), following a field visit to the affected area, had called for urgent cleanup, compensation and full accountability over the incident, saying crude oil was observed in the water and along mangrove banks around Nembe Creek.
The organisation said the spill had disrupted fishing activities and threatened the livelihoods of coastal communities, with residents reporting damage to fishing nets, declining catches and loss of access to fishing grounds.
