A renowned Niger Delta rights and environmental activist, Comrade Ozobo Austin, has countered Shell Petroleum Development Company’s assertions on that oil theft is the root cause of oil spill in the region.
Ozobo’s counterattack follows the SPDC’s claim on a report by Vanguard Newspaper on Sunday, August 31 2024, where the company attempted to exonerate itself from the many spills recorded.
In a scathing response, Ozobo revealed that the actual culprits behind the oil spills are the ageing facilities, daily oil exploration activities, and system failures, not oil theft.
The activist noted that with the presence of Tantita Security Service Limited and other indigenous security companies policing the oil pipelines, oil theft had been significantly reduced to the barest minimum.
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“It is unimaginable for Shell to continue raising false alarms about oil theft truncating oil daily output when the reality on the ground is different,” he added.
Ozobo exposed the real perpetrators of oil theft, pointing fingers at the oil company officials in the Niger Delta who exploit a bad metering system, barging, and under-reporting daily production output.
He emphasised that local oil bunkering and oil activities have been curtailed for the past three years, contradicting Shell’s claims.
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“The majority of oil spills in the Niger Delta are caused by the decrepit state of Shell’s infrastructure, including pipelines, flow stations, and other facilities,” Ozobo said.
“Years of neglect and lack of investment in maintenance have led to frequent system failures, resulting in devastating oil spills that harm our environment and communities.”
The activist argued that Shell’s claim of oil theft being the main cause of oil spills was an attempt to deflect attention from the company’s own negligence and lack of accountability.
He pointed out that Shell’s facilities in the Niger Delta are some of the oldest in the world, with some pipelines dating back to the 1960s.
“It’s unacceptable for Shell to continue blaming oil theft for its own failures. The company must take responsibility for its actions and invest in upgrading its infrastructure to prevent these spills. Our communities deserve better than to have their lives and livelihoods constantly threatened by Shell’s negligence.”he added.
“The federal government should look inward and investigate oil theft within the oil companies, security and government officials who connive to under-report actual daily production and load more barrels than reported,” Ozobo demanded.
“It is time to stop blaming local communities and address the real issues of ageing infrastructure and system failures.” He appealed for transparency and accountability in the oil industry.
Ozobo’s statement highlights the need for a thorough investigation into oil theft and spills, focusing on the root causes rather than scapegoating local communities.
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