Abuja: Nigeria's main oil producing region
has been hit by a fresh spill barely a month after the UN
accused oil giant Shell of seriously polluting the zone during
their activities.
Residents said the spill which came after a fire outbreak
occurred several days ago along Shell-owned Okordia Rumuekpe
trunkling in Bayelsa state.
While Shell issued a statement saying it was stopped from
repairing the rupture by protesting community women, an
environmentalist Morris Alagoa said the fire has been put out
by the company.
According to him, the rupture which has spread into
many farmlands and remains not cleaned must have been cause by
saboteurs.
Last week, Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan set up a
group to review the environmental report whereby Shell was
accused of polluting the area that might necessitate the
highest clean-up in history.
The clean-up would require USD 1 billion and take thirty
years to undertake. Nigeria is Africa's largest crude exporter
and a member of OPEC.
PTI
First Published: Monday, August 22, 2011, 09:02