The region has long endured environmental pollution caused by the oil industry. The country’s National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (Nosdra) said the spill came from the Trans-Niger Pipeline operated by Shell that crosses through communities in the Eleme area of Ogoniland, a region where the London-based energy giant has faced long-standing local resistance to its oil exploration activities. Nosdra director general Idris Musa said the leak has been contained, but treating the fallout from the spill at farms and the Okulu River, which runs through communities, has stalled. Shell said it is working with a joint investigatory team, consisting of regulators, Ogoniland residents and local authorities, to identify the cause and impact of the spill. Nosdra confirmed the joint investigation, but a cause of the spill – whether sabotage or equipment failure – has not yet been revealed.

Source: The Guardian June 26, 2023 09:42 UTC