Ibeno, a once prosperous oil-producing community in Akwa Ibom State, has fallen victim to the detrimental effects of oil exploration and exploitation.
Multinational oil companies operating in the area have caused severe environmental, economic, and health hazards through oil spills and gas flaring.
These activities have contaminated water sources, harmed aquatic life, and endangered the well-being of the local population.
The indigenes of Ibeno are facing a dire situation with regards to water. The community’s water sources have been contaminated by oil spills, rendering the water undrinkable and unsafe.
The scarcity of potable water has forced residents to purchase expensive sachet water, priced at N100, which many cannot afford. Desperate for hydration, some resort to drinking the polluted water from streams, further endangering their health.
Gas flaring, a common practice in the area, has had severe health consequences for the people of Ibeno.
Rhoda, a youth activist, recounted her personal experience of suffering a miscarriage due to inhaling polluted air while working in Ibeno. Many other women in the community have experienced similar hardships, including respiratory diseases.
Gas flaring has become a grave threat to the overall well-being of the residents.
The adverse impact of oil spills extends beyond the environment and health. Kofi, a Cameroonian fisherman residing in Ibeno, expressed the difficulties faced by fishermen in the area. Oil spills damage fishing nets and deter fish from inhabiting the affected areas, leading to a loss of livelihood for fishermen.
The spills have disrupted the delicate balance of the marine ecosystem, exacerbating the challenges faced by the community.
The residents of Ibeno have faced a series of oil spills, with little to no compensation or remediation efforts from Exxon Mobil, the major oil company operating in the area.
Despite the company’s claims of taking appropriate action, the affected communities have received inadequate support. The lack of compensation has resulted in financial losses for fishermen, farmers, and other businesses, plunging many into poverty and frustration.
Local communities, together with civil society organizations, are demanding environmental remediation and fair compensation before oil companies divest from the region.
They argue that the companies should be held accountable for the extensive damage caused over the past six decades of oil exploration and gas flaring. Furthermore, the continuous practice of gas flaring throughout the Niger Delta has contributed to acidification of rivers and soils, leading to a food crisis in the region.
In an attempt to curb gas flaring, the Nigerian government launched the Nigeria Gas Flare Commercialization Programme (NGFCP) in 2020.
However, the program has fallen short of its goals, as gas flaring persists and its hazardous effects continue to plague the local population.
The people of Ibeno, Akwa Ibom State, have endured immense suffering due to the devastating consequences of oil exploration and exploitation.
Oil spills and gas flaring have contaminated water sources, harmed aquatic life, and posed severe health risks to the community.
The negligence of oil companies, exemplified by the lack of compensation and environmental remediation, has compounded the challenges faced by the residents.
Urgent intervention is necessary to address these issues, ensuring the restoration of the environment and the well-being of the people of Ibeno.
