An environmental advocacy group has warned of worsening pollution in parts of Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, where communities say crude oil has continued to spread months after a spill was first reported.
The Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN) raised the alarm on Saturday, saying residents of Ijansa/Ijelejele and Ogbe-Ijaw had reported an active spill and further contamination of surrounding waterways.
The group said the spill began around 20 February 2026 and that additional spill incidents have since been reported along the same pipeline infrastructure.
Community representatives say the affected areas have not received adequate containment, cleanup or compensation.
The claims come amid months of protests and petitions by communities in the wider area over pollution linked to infrastructure operated by Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited.
Why the issue has returned to public attention
EDEN’s latest intervention follows a protest by affected residents on 25 September near the reported spill site.
The group said journalists attended the protest, where residents demanded urgent action from Heritage Energy and government agencies responsible for regulating oil spills and protecting the environment.
EDEN also said it wrote to relevant authorities on 24 June seeking intervention but received no response.
Its Executive Director, Chima Williams, criticised the authorities’ handling of the situation.
“This deliberate ecological assault is simply unacceptable. We find it utterly reprehensible that the community people are allowed to suffer needlessly even after a June 24, 2026 letter to the relevant authorities for action which did not receive any response.”
Williams also questioned the conduct of a Joint Investigation Visit, saying affected residents were not adequately involved.
“We are perplexed because a sham Joint Investigation Visit was conducted without the participation of the affected communities. The silence from government is deafening. EDEN stands by them and we re-echo their demands for an immediate containment of the spill and repairs to be carried out on the ruptured pipeline to prevent further pollution.”
The allegation that the investigation was a “sham” is EDEN’s characterisation and has not been independently established by Olokuns Media Network.
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Communities say the pollution is affecting livelihoods
The latest claims form part of a wider dispute over a spill that communities in the area say has disrupted fishing, farming and access to waterways.
In July, Odidi Federated Community petitioned the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) over a spill it said had continued since February.
The community said the incident occurred along the Trans-Forcados Pipeline and alleged that pollution had affected waterways, farmland, fishing equipment, drinking water and aquatic life. It also said fishing and other economic activities had been severely disrupted.
By September, communities including Odidi, Kantu and Keremor were still demanding repairs to the pipeline and threatening further action if the situation was not resolved.
Women from Odidi also protested at Heritage Energy’s operational office in Warri earlier in September.
They told reporters that they could no longer fish or farm normally because of the pollution.
Heritage Energy’s Community Relations Manager, Jeremiah Oharisi, received the protesters and said the company would examine their concerns.
“Heritage is more than willing to do the right thing,”
Oharisi was quoted as saying by Vanguard.
The company has therefore publicly indicated that it would consider the grievances raised by residents. However, the available reports do not establish that the underlying pollution dispute has been fully resolved.
Credit: ChatGPT
What evidence exists?
EDEN said footage recorded on 24 September shows oil continuing to flow from the affected area.
However, the organisation itself described the footage as unverified. Olokuns Media Network has therefore not independently established from that material whether oil was still actively flowing from the original spill point on 24 September.
There is, however, independent reporting of a prolonged spill in the same broader area.
A July report on the Odidi community’s petition to NOSDRA said residents had reported the spill since February and had provided video evidence to the agency. The community also said a Joint Investigation Visit took place in February.
Reports published in September continued to describe the pollution as unresolved, with residents alleging that crude oil was still affecting waterways and fishing grounds.
What does Nigerian law require?
NOSDRA is responsible for coordinating oil-spill response activities in Nigeria and monitoring compliance with environmental legislation.
The agency says operators must report an oil spill in writing within 24 hours. Failure to report attracts a statutory penalty of ₦500,000 for each day of non-compliance.
The Joint Investigation Visit is also important because it helps establish the cause and extent of a spill and informs subsequent decisions on containment, cleanup and remediation.
A credible investigation therefore matters not only to the affected community but also to the operator and regulators because it provides the evidence needed to determine responsibility and the appropriate response.
A wider pattern of pressure on Heritage Energy
The February spill is not the only environmental dispute involving Heritage Energy this year.
In June, a separate incident occurred at Well 14 in Uzere Kingdom, also in Delta State. A field assessment by the Health of Mother Earth Foundation reported that the well was still discharging crude oil, gas and other petroleum substances more than five weeks after the incident.
That case later reached the courts.
The Federal High Court in Port Harcourt ordered Heritage Energy and NOSDRA to begin steps towards cleaning up the affected area and take measures to prevent further environmental harm at the Uzere site.
The Uzere case is separate from the February pipeline spill discussed by EDEN, but the two incidents have increased scrutiny of Heritage Energy’s environmental response in Delta State.
What is at stake for residents?
For communities whose livelihoods depend heavily on fishing, farming and waterways, a prolonged oil spill can create economic losses long after the initial incident.
The immediate questions are whether the source of the pollution has been permanently contained, how much land and water have been affected, and what measures will be taken to restore the environment.
There are also accountability questions.
A proper investigation should establish the cause of the spill, identify the areas affected and determine the responsibilities of the operator and relevant authorities.
EDEN is calling for a new and inclusive Joint Investigation Visit involving the affected communities.
Williams also called for comprehensive cleanup of affected creeks, rivers, farmlands and surrounding areas.
He said residents had been pushed away from the environment on which they depend and called for relief materials and compensation after an assessment of the damage.
“We stand with the community people. Environmental justice demands immediate action, comprehensive remediation and justice for affected communities”, Williams stated.
What happens next?
The immediate test will be whether Heritage Energy, NOSDRA, NUPRC and other relevant authorities establish the current status of the reported spill and make the findings of any investigation available.
The affected communities are also seeking repairs to the pipeline, environmental remediation, relief and compensation.
For residents, the key issue is no longer simply when the spill occurred. It is whether the source has been stopped, the extent of the damage has been independently established and a credible cleanup process has begun.
Until those questions are answered, the environmental and livelihood concerns raised by the communities are likely to remain unresolved.
