Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
An oil well in Uzere community, Delta State, has been leaking crude oil and gas for three weeks, forcing residents to abandon their homes and farmlands, SaharaReporters has learnt. The well, known as Location-14, is in the Uhei Quarter of Uzere, just a few metres from people's houses.
A resident told SaharaReporters on Sunday, 12 July, that the well was once owned by Shell but is now managed by Heritage Energy. The leak has been going on for weeks, with oil and gas spilling into the environment and putting residents at serious risk. Videos obtained by the news outlet show the leak still ongoing.
Uzere is the second community where oil was first found in Nigeria. The area has over 50 oil wells, many of which were built in the 1950s and are now very old. Residents and environmental groups have warned for years that these wells need urgent repairs.
The latest leak has made things worse, especially as the rainy season and flooding get worse. People living close to the well have left their homes, and farmers have abandoned their land because they fear explosions and pollution.
According to the resident, this is not the first time this has happened. About ten years ago, the same well leaked, and Shell fixed it. But this time, the leak is worse and more dangerous. If the leak is not stopped before the floods spread, the area could suffer serious damage to land, water, and people's livelihoods.
Residents are calling on the Nigerian government, regulators, emergency teams, and Heritage Energy to act quickly to stop the leak and protect the community. Every day the leak continues puts more lives at risk. With the flood season approaching, the people of Uzere fear a major disaster if nothing is done.
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