http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/sept/05/national-05-09-2011-014.html

Oil spillage wreaks havoc in 6 Abia communities
From OKEY SAMPSON, Aba
Monday, September 05, 2011



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Oil spillage, which occurred over a week ago has wreaked havoc in six oil producing communities in Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State. The affected communities include Umuorie; Umukalu; Umuitiri; Obahu; Umuebulungwu and Obohia.

The spillage, which began on August 25 was said to have occurred as a result of the washing by officials of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) of the oil collecting tank at Canoe’s park creek, location one, Isimiri oil field at Isimiri autonomous community in Ukwa West Local Government.

A source hinted that the pressure exerted in order to get the tank properly cleaned, led to the bursting of the connecting oil pipes, which conveyed products from the location to one of Shell’s flow stations.
Some of the burst pipes, according to our source, were laid in the 60’s and no step, he said, had been taken to upgrade them which was why they burst at the slightest pressure. Although the spillage occurred at the Isimiri oil location, the fast running river had spread the spilled oil to as far as five other communities, destroying the ecosystem along its route.

When Daily Sun visited the area, the villagers bemoaned their experience. Their spokesperson, Chief Ridley Dike said it was unfortunate such a thing could happen to the communities at a time they were about to harvest their farm produce. He bereted SPDC for not taking enough precaution that would have forestalled the spillage and for not upgrading the pipelines, which he said, were laid in the 60’s and had become rustic and prone to bursting. He said it was painful that for days, SPDC left the oil spillage to continue without doing anything to checkmate it, which was why it spread to the other five communities.

He decried the situation where oil spillage of that magnitude occurred and nothing was urgently done to control it. “We condemn in strong terms the lackadaisical attitude of Shell petroleum as it concerns our plight or is it because we are from Abia,” he queried.“Otherwise how would oil spillage of this magnitude occur and for one week, nobody came to control it.

“Look at the Isimiri river, our only source of water supply has been contaminated. Our fish ponds, economic trees, aquaculture, in fact, the entire ecosystem has been destroyed and Shell is keeping adamant.” Dike said they had not taken stock to quantify exactly what the six communities had lost as a result of the spillage since it was still spreading but he, however, admitted that properties worth billions of naira had been destroyed and called for immediate steps to be taken to cushion the effects of the oil spillage on the communities.

They should declare on Ogoni in Abia State

South-East:

They should declare on Ogoni in Abia State

Mind explaining what you're talking about here?

^^^^
Ogoni= no oil exploitation by SHELL