The leadership of Foropa 2 community in Foropa Middleton Kingdom, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area has lament exclusion from impacted areas by the Oct. 4 spill at Tebidaba-Ogboinbiri pipeline operated by Oando.
The coastal community also known as Apie-Ama expressed displeasure that in spite of abundant evidence and adverse impact on the predominantly fishing and farming community, they were not part of the Joint Investigative Visit (JIV) to the spill site.
Chief Joseph Anda,Traditional Ruler (Amananawei of Foropa 2) told newsmen in Yenagoa on Friday that excluding the community was unacceptable.
The traditional ruler said that the community is therefore drawing the attention of the Federal and state government as well as Oando to the development while seeking resolution of the abnormality.
Anda explained that the exclusion was greeted with grievances due to the magnitude of harm caused by the Oct 4 oil leak to the people and the environment.
He noted that the impact of the oil spill on Foropa 2 community was confirmed by the state government team that visited the area for assessment and insisted that Foropa 2 must given equal treatment as other impacted communities.
“Excluding us in the composition of the investigation team is not good enough, but saying that we are not affected amounts to double jeopardy as they say in law. We cannot suffer double portions, it will amount to great injustice.
“We urge the oil firm, Oando and relevant agencies to review the evidences and facts and include Foropa 2 in the spills remediation and response process,” the traditional ruler said