Reported By Mary Udezue | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Communities along the Orashi River in Rivers State, southern Nigeria, are facing a deepening environmental and public health crisis linked to a persistent gas leak from an underwater pipeline, residents and local leaders have told news outlets. In the Oshie and Akinima communities of Ahoada West Local Government Area, the contamination of the river — the primary source of drinking water and livelihood for thousands of people — has triggered widespread fear, hardship, and mounting calls for urgent government and corporate intervention.
“We are really worried,” said Mrs. Ngozi Ididie, a 59‑year‑old resident of Oshie, as she stood by the murky waters of the Orashi River, once considered “blessed water” by locals. “After drinking the water, both children and adults feel sickly. We are resorting to buying sachet water now… But now we cannot drink it.” Her comments reflect a growing sense of desperation among community members who say that for more than a year they have been coping with the effects of an underwater gas pipeline leak that has polluted their only accessible water source.
The pipeline in question, reported to belong to energy company Oando, runs beneath the Orashi River. Residents describe seeing continuous bubbling from a point roughly 80 metres from the riverbank — a visible sign of gas leakage. Interviews and on‑the‑ground observations reveal a thin film of hydrocarbon floating on the river’s surface, and old pipelines lying exposed near the banks, suggesting ongoing infrastructure degradation.
Local women, who traditionally fetch water and prepare food using river water, voiced concerns about the health impacts on their families. “This river is where we bathe and fetch water to drink,” said Mrs. Queen Jacob, a mother of four. “But due to the current leakage, we cannot catch fish, and when you bathe in the river, it leads to itching of the body.” Communities that once depended on fishing and cassava processing for both food and income report that those activities have sharply declined because the water now carries visible sheen and odours associated with hydrocarbons.
The Paramount Ruler of Oshie community, His Royal Highness Patrick Miller, has publicly expressed deep frustration at what he called “prolonged neglect” by responsible authorities and operators. According to community accounts, despite multiple reports to both the Nigerian Agip Oil Company when it previously held interests in the asset and now to current operators, the gas leak has persisted without adequate remediation. “Our women soak cassava in that water for our survival,” he said, lamenting that even traditional food processing has been compromised.
Residents also attribute a growing incidence of illnesses — including gastroenteritis, vomiting, and unexpected diarrhoea — to contaminated water. Local leaders claim that conditions such as skin rashes, previously rare in the area, have become common among children and adults who use the river daily. These health complaints are driving residents to rely increasingly on purchased sachet water despite widespread poverty and limited economic means.
Environmental advocacy groups and activists have joined the chorus of concern. The Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN), an environmental justice organisation, has criticised the slow pace of response and urged accelerated remedial action. Its deputies called on both government agencies and energy firms to supply clean water, provide healthcare support, and compensate affected communities for loss of livelihood and environmental degradation. They also demanded immediate action from regulatory bodies such as the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the Rivers State Ministry of Environment, and the Federal Ministry of Environment.
Local youths have echoed these demands, accusing the energy company of feigning ignorance of the situation. The President of the Engenni Youth Assembly, Onem Okenya, said that the company “has feigned ignorance of what is happening here,” arguing that its facilities in nearby areas must make the firm aware of the leak’s impacts. “They should come and provide portable water for the affected communities and pay compensation, because we have spent a lot of money on medication, buying fish, and sachet water,” he said, underscoring the economic strain on families.
Environmental analysts note that Rivers State and broader Niger Delta communities are no strangers to oil and gas infrastructure failures. Across the region, pipelines, wellheads, and other installations have leaked or ruptured repeatedly, contaminating waterways, farmland, and mangroves critical to local economies. This includes documented spills and blowouts in various parts of the state, as well as gas leaks that have attracted advocacy and regulatory attention. [Such chronic events have fuelled environmental advocacy voices calling for stronger corporate accountability and government oversight.
Compounding the crisis, residents say they have little recourse at present. Local complaints to authorities reportedly have yielded few tangible results, leaving families to confront the visible environmental damage and associated health fears without formal support. In the absence of clean water infrastructure, some women described resorting to boiling river water or purchasing sachet water — both burdensome coping strategies that impose new costs on already economically vulnerable households.
Public health specialists who study oil and gas contamination warn that chronic exposure to hydrocarbons and gas compounds in water can have long‑term health implications, particularly for children. Benzene and related volatile organic compounds, common in petroleum products, are classified as carcinogenic and pose risks to bone marrow, immune system function, and overall health when ingested or through prolonged skin contact. While local complaints focus on immediate symptoms such as itching and gastrointestinal distress, experts would note that chronic exposure increases the urgency of environmental remediation and health monitoring.
The situation also highlights broader systemic challenges in regulatory enforcement and environmental governance in Nigeria’s oil‑producing regions. Environmental advocates continue to pressure the Nigerian government and industry stakeholders to adhere to and enforce environmental protection standards, expand access to clean water, and ensure that affected communities are compensated and rehabilitated.
For the communities of Oshie and Akinima, daily life now takes place against the backdrop of a river that once sustained generations but has become a source of fear and uncertainty. Families juggle health concerns with economic survival, all while awaiting the intervention that could restore their environment and livelihoods. 📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
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