Two separate oil spill incidents have occurred in Ogale and Korokoro communities, both in Ogoni land, Rivers State, sparking concerns over worsening environmental conditions in the already heavily polluted Niger Delta.

The first incident occurred in Korokoro community, Tai Local Government Area, where crude oil was observed leaking from a wellhead located near a Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) cleanup site. The facility is situated within the controversial Oil Mining Lease (OML) 11, previously operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company and now under the control of NNPC Limited.

Similarly, in Ogale community in Eleme Local Government Area, crude oil was seen seeping from a pipeline near a manifold operated by Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited — the same facility that experienced a major spill in early February 2025.

Confirming the incidents, the Zonal Director of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) in Port Harcourt, Mr. Augustine Bello, said the agency is monitoring both situations and plans to conduct a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) after the Easter holidays.

“We’re following up on the spills, the one in Korokoro belongs to NNPC Ltd and they have already initiated containment today. JIV will be done after the festivities,” Bello said.

“For Ogale, we’re waiting for a feedback. Before the close of today I should have a proper update on it. Probably because of the festivities it will take up to Tuesday or Wednesday for a JIV to hold,” he added.

A JIV is a standard procedure following any oil spill, involving representatives from the operating company, NOSDRA, the host community, and the State Ministry of Environment.

Meanwhile, environmental rights advocate Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, Executive Director of the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), said early reports from local volunteers suggest the spills were likely caused by equipment failure.

“Locals who are members of the YEAC Youth Volunteers Network under the auspices of the One Million Youth Volunteers Network of Human Rights Defenders and Promoters in the Niger Delta, as well as our Crude Oil Spill Alert System, COSAS, have reported that the spill was caused by equipment failure on a Christmas tree located in the community,” Dr. Fyneface stated.

He urged NOSDRA to expedite its response and carry out an immediate JIV to determine the cause and extent of the damage.

“We urge NOSDRA to act swiftly by carrying out a JIV to the spill point and invoking relevant sections of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021 to ensure that whoever is responsible for this spill is held accountable,” he said.

The latest spills have reignited fears about the safety and regulation of oil operations in Ogoniland. Ogale is one of the sites identified by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in its landmark Environmental Assessment of Ogoniland report and is currently listed for underground water remediation under the HYPREP cleanup initiative.