The Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) has called on the Federal Government and multinational oil companies to immediately investigate the immediate and root causes of death of thousands of fishes washed ashore the coastal line of the Niger Delta.
The group also called for a global attention to massive pollution of rivers in many communities in Bonny, Forcados and other settlements along the Niger Delta region coast bordering the Atlantic Ocean.
A delegation of the youths led by the interim ITC president, Mr. Kennedy Olorogun, which toured the affected communities in Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states were shocked by the magnitude of contamination leading to the death of sea foods.
The delegation in a report signed by Olorogun and Secretary of Council, Frank Akiefa, found thousands of fish killed by the pollutants and washed ashore the river banks, which were emitting foul smell.
“If you go to Bonny now and see for yourself; you will be amazed at the extent of destruction that had taken place. You will see dead fishes floating on top of the river.
“Fishermen in the area can no longer go to fishing and you know the times we are in. In this season of Coronavirus, you can better imagine what the people in these areas are going through.
“The entire body of water surrounding these communities are saturated with oil spills. Everything in the water is dead. What these communities are facing is also applicable to other riverine communities of Delta, Edo and Bayelsa. If nothing is done urgently, it may lead to uprising.”
The Ijaw youths alleged that the oil multinationals operating in the region were hiding under the Coronavirus pandemic that had stolen the world’s attention to discharge toxic substances into the rivers.
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Olorogun said: “The coastal communities of Bonny, Forcados and other surrounding communities are presently facing severe cases of oil pollution and other toxic substances in the midst of the global pandemic.
“At the moment, marine life and the lives of the people of these coastal areas are under severe threat. The entire water body surrounding these communities has been severely despoiled by oil spillage and other toxic substances.
“There are reports that some of the major oil companies operating in these areas may have discharged very dangerous toxic substances into their rivers and creeks; coupled with oil spills which have resulted in the death of marine and aquatic life.
“These multinationals operating in the region care less about the environmental and economic impact of their oil explorative and exploitative activities. Their major goal is to satisfy the insatiable quest for pecuniary gains by their underhand imperialist and local collaborators.
“The leadership of the Transition Implementation Committee of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) would not sit idly and watch any community in Ijaw land or Niger Delta being destroyed by the avarice and greed of people who have not and are not contributing to the economic wellbeing of the country.
“The Council is calling on relevant government institutions and agencies to swiftly come to the aid of these Ijaw communities of Bonny, Forcados, Kula and other riverine communities in the area to mitigate the effect of the oil pollution and the discharge of toxic substances that are presently destroying aquatic and marine life”.
Olorogun called on such government institutions as the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to look into the matter.
He said other human rights organisations should rise to the occasion and put an end to the senseless and meaningless destruction of marine life, including the lives of humans and the ecosystem by oil companies.
