Communities in Ikono and Ibiono Ibom Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom State are reporting that oil still escapes from wells drilled and capped by Shell Petroleum Development Company in the 1950s, causing widespread soil and water contamination and threatening local livelihoods.
Key points:
- The wells were sealed after being deemed commercially unviable in the 1950s, yet residents say crude continues to seep from the capped heads.
- Villagers describe damaged roofs, failing crops and loss of aquatic life as direct consequences of the ongoing leaks.
- The Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) is leading a monitoring and evidence‑gathering effort and is calling on the Federal Government, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, and the Akwa Ibom State Government for remediation and compensation.
- Experts label the abandoned wells as “ticking time bombs” that require proper de‑commissioning to prevent further environmental and health hazards.
What did the village council chairman say?
Friday John, Chairman of the Ntan Mbat Village Council in Ibiono Ibom, told reporters during a one‑day training organised by HOMEF that no oil company has returned to the site since the wells were capped. He warned that a new seepage point now releases crude in “large quantities everywhere.” John recalled, “Oil has been coming out from there for a long time before I was born. The people who came, we called them Mbakara USA in those days. They built a very big house in my community and lived there. They planted stones as markers and wrote that this is where they found oil.” He added that the absence of pipelines and the fear of farming on contaminated land have left the community in a state of hardship.
How are the spills affecting daily life?
Bassey Henry of Uyo Afaha Nkan Village in Ikono described visible damage on rooftops and farms. He noted that roofing sheets deteriorate in less than five years, palm trees have stopped fruiting, and staple crops such as cocoyam, cassava and yam often die before harvest. Vegetables like okro yield poorly, and local fauna—including millipedes, snails and fish—have disappeared.
What health concerns are being raised?
Namonso Nya, another resident, linked the oil contamination to rising cases of cancer and high blood pressure in the area, urging SPDC to compensate affected families. He said, “Villagers in these communities where these corked well heads are suffering; go to these communities, nothing grows again.”
What broader challenges do the communities face?
John highlighted a lack of basic services: no hospital, poor road access, no electricity, and unsafe drinking water. He explained that medical emergencies often result in death because patients cannot reach Uyo in time.
What is HOMEF’s stance on the issue?
Dr Nnimmo Bassey, Executive Director of HOMEF, reiterated that abandoned wells remain dangerous infrastructure that can deteriorate and pose environmental and safety risks. He stressed that “environmental justice requires more than cleaning up after a disaster; it requires prevention, monitoring, reparation, transparent information, and meaningful community participation.” Bassey called on the Federal Government, Shell, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, and the Akwa Ibom State Government to settle outstanding claims related to the Ikono 1 well, including remediation, compensation and restoration.
The residents’ testimonies underscore a pressing need for comprehensive assessment, monitoring and de‑commissioning of the abandoned wells to safeguard health, agriculture and the environment in the Niger Delta.