Tag: agip

If environmental sustainability is to be achieved in Nigeria there must be transparency and accountability especially in the oil and gas sector.

Once more, we wish to draw the attention of the government and general public’s attention to the reckless oil extraction in the Niger Delta. The oil companies’ impunity and non-adherence to best practices over the years has ruined the Niger Delta environment. Since 1956 when oil extraction began, gas flaring and frequent oil spills have been the order of the day. Added to this is the tragic and frequent pipeline blowouts that occur almost on a daily basis from oil and gas operations.  A case in point is the recent Agip Azuzuama tragedy of July 2015 which claimed 14 lives while others sustained serious injuries. The environment was devastated and rural livelihoods destroyed.

The Azuzuama incident stands out as a metaphor of oil incidents by oil companies like Agip operating in the region. Not only has the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) been implicated in the burning of oil spill sites in the past, fire outbreaks during repair works have been commonly associated with the company. The records of such frequency are well known to Agip and the regulators.

Broadly, this press briefing sets out to address three main issues of ecocide, a call for probe of Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) operations, and the need for remediation and adequate compensation for victims. It firmly adduces evidence and a case of ecocide against Agip.

A Case of Ecocide

Agip’s operation fields are crime sites tantamount to ecocide. As an environmental advocacy group that has been monitoring the environment for over two decades, we have observed a consistent trend of Agip’s pipeline explosions and death. Environmental destruction and needless death have continued to trail the company’s operations from 1995 to the present.

Before we turn to the incident which claimed several lives in 2015, perhaps more pathetic is the Agip Ozochi tragedy which claimed at least 7 workers attempting to clear a major spill by a state of the art technology of spade and bucket.  The spill occurred in early June 1995 and eventually 7 persons were roasted while clearing oil spills using spade and bucket. When the spill occurred, Agip reacted by contacting DAEWOO, a contracting firm for the clean up. The firm in turn hired 20 unskilled labourers from Ozochi, Odua, and without any supervision from Agip or DAEWOO and without any training and proper clean up kits, they were mobilized to site on 25 June. As instructed, they dug pits into which they transferred the crude oil in order to set it ablaze later. During a short break at noon, one of the crew members decided to smoke a cigarette. He struck a match and the entire spillage site erupted in flames. 14 of the labourers were instantly trapped in the inferno, and 5 men died on the spot. The four unhurt labourers working about 100 metres away carried the injured to the nearest community 10 kilometres away and two of the injured later died in the community. The seven injured were later admitted at Ahoada General Hospital. This was in addition to destruction of the environment, farmlands and biodiversity.

It will be interesting for Agip to tell the world its level of responsibility and liability and what preventive measures were taken. Was there any adequate clean up and compensation to the bereaved families these past years?

On 13 May 2000, 6 youths died in a tragic incident which occurred in Etieama community in Nembe Local Government Area during a clamping operation on a ruptured section of Agip’s Brass-Ogoda pipeline. The incident is said to have been caused by spark from a machine used during the clamping.

On Sunday, 29th July, 2012 a similar incident happened along Agip’s pipeline within Ayamabele/Kalaba community environment, in Okordia clan, Yenagoa LGA. 16 individuals were lucky to have escaped when a fire was ignited in the process of the clean up. They fled the scene of the fire eruption.

Death by Fire: A Case of Agip’s Equipment Failure and Negligence

On 9th July 2015 Agip’s facility exploded with massive fire along Tebidabe-Clough Creek pipeline at Azuzuama in Bassan Clan Southern Ijaw LGA, Bayelsa state. The incident occurred during a Joint Investigation Visit to a damaged section. ERA Field Monitors discovered on site that:

1. Agip’s Tebidabe-Clough Creek pipeline and explosion is clearly a case of negligence due to equipment failure while attempting to clamp a leaking oil pipeline by substandard and crude methods,
2. The oil pipeline may have remained active and never shut down while repair effort was on-going thereby putting lives at risk and placing production as more important than safety of those working at the repair site,

iii.       There was no ‘Fire Man’ or fire service personnel in the team who could have put off the fire while it was still little rather than the crude method of scooping mud filled petrol,

1. Although the site was a difficult terrain and muddy, there were no precautionary measure or escape plan put in place in the event of fire.

When the explosion and fire finally occurred as a result of scooping mud filled petrol to quench the building sparks of fire, 14 people were roasted alive instantly. They included a Nigerian soldier, an official of the Bayelsa State Ministry of Environment, an official of the regional NOSDRA office, Agip staff and community youths. Till date, the full list is yet to be made public. Up till date, Agip is yet to respond officially and publicly on the incident.

 

 

Although a few meetings have been held with family representatives of the deceased, nothing tangible has been done in terms of responsibility and liability. Agip’s insensitivity and delay is highly unacceptable.

The following are the victims of the explosion whose death occurred on July 9th:   Mupe Afoh Anthony   (HSE-NAOC-Florina); Matthew Iyom      (CRV Supervisor –NAOC Crest); Godspower Okorosei (Vowgas Welder); Promise Kpora (Vowgas Pipe Fitter);        Michael Izeku (Vowgas Store Keeper); Longinus Dum         (Vowgas HSE);  Ositadinma Ugwu  (NOSDRA);           Theophilus Duabo               (BYSMENV);                 Amos Omereji      (Helper);                Undo John             (Vowgas Pegger);  Epunumokumo Linus (Community Man);   Corporal Audu Rikoto         (Vowgas Gunboat); Eze Akpojota    (Vowgas Swamp Buggie Mechanic); and another whose name is yet to be disclosed.

That this trend is normal occurrence to oil companies particularly Agip has been shown in the cases presented. Doubtless, a clear pattern of ecocide and criminal liability has been observed in Agip’s operations in the Niger Delta. If a CEO of an oil company persistently takes decisions that consistently undermine human and environmental health across a period of time, this crime is tantamount to ecocide and crime against humanity. The incident in Azuzuama is yet another sad episode from NAOC operations as the testimonies from bereaved families and officials of the Bayelsa State Ministry of Environment also show.

 

Pathway to Revocation of Agip’s

Operational License

 

The impunity and flagrant disregard for environmental regulations by Agip has resulted in massive environmental degradation and destruction of rural livelihoods over several decades of its operation in the Niger Delta. The laws governing oil spills and prevention of environmental degradation and security of lives and property have been severely compromised. As in other cases, the vegetation, trees and cash crops and livelihoods on both sides of the pipeline covering several hectares were severely burnt. Certainly, Agip is not meeting their own internal rules. They are also not meeting the regulations and laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The state of the art clean up technology remains the crude setting of oil spills ablaze. We demand the revocation of the operational license of Agip for their persistent and criminal liability in the frequent fire explosions and deaths recorded.

 

As an environmental advocacy group monitoring the environment over two decades, again, we observe incontrovertibly a consistent trend of Agip’s pipeline explosions leading to needless death that have trailed the company’s operations since 1995. These incidents can be traced mostly to negligence and equipment failure and the substandard mode of clamping procedures. As a result we call on the Federal and state governments to set up an investigative panel to review Agip’s operations as well as its spill contingency plan and protocols, which have so far put production and profit at the fore and left safety at the back seat.

 

Remediation and Compensation

Although a few meetings have been held with family representatives of the deceased, nothing tangible has been done in terms of responsibility and liability. Agip’s insensitivity and delay is highly unacceptable.Beyond the need for investigation, Agip must provide public response to the frequent fire explosion incidents, and conduct immediate clean up and environmental remediation. While a price cannot be placed on the loss of human lives, we urge the payment of the sum of US$2 million each to the families of the bereaved since their bread winners have been taken away from them abruptly. This will also serve as a deterrent to Agip and other oil companies on the need to put lives first before profit.

 

Constitutional Review of the Legislative Duty of states on the Environment

 

At present state level environmental responsibility on oil matters is almost nil. One major constraint is that while the environment is in the Concurrent List of the state and federal government, oil and gas and allied matters are the exclusive preserve of the federal government. This lacuna is making the state woefully handicapped in this regard. This issue requires immediate legislative action for reform and expansion to include the jurisdiction of states on oil and gas matters in order to proactively safeguard the environment, lives and property.  

• Ojo is Executive Director, ERA/FoEN