Sangama Community in Bonny Local Government of Rivers State has demanded what it called environmental justice from the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) on account of the despoliation of its environment by the company’s facility.

The Council of Wariseniapu of the John-Jumbo Chieftaincy House of Bonny Kingdom, owners of Sangamabie Community made this demand during a press briefing on Sunday, September 18, 2022 in Bonny, Rivers State.

Addressing the Press, Warisenibo Loveday John-Jumbo called on the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) to respond to its demands or leave the community with no other choice than to explore every legal means to seek redress.

The Sangama Community stated four demands from NPDC namely: 1) that NPDC immediately shut down Well 6, its facility that allegedly ruptured recently and oozing out dangerous gas into the environment 2) take responsibility for medical examination of all members of the community affected by the gas leak incident 3) conduct an air quality test in the community and its environs, and 4) pay compensation to the community for exposing it to environmental hazard.

“Our people have suffered immensely over this eruption which took place on August 16 and September 3, 2022, which is still flaring up till now and have forced many of our community people to desert the place with some still receiving treatment”.

John-Jumbo announced that the community vehemently rejects the purported joint investigation visit and its purported outcome, declaring that it never mandated anyone to represent it at the purported JIV close-out meeting in Port Harcourt on Monday, September 12, 2022.

the Sangama Community further declared that it was in full support of the efforts initially made by its Youth Leader, Iyalla John-Jumbo towards engaging Shell Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) and later NPDC to contain the gas being flared to the health detriment of her people, stating that Iyalla John-Jumbo remains the only and authentic Youth Leader of the Community, stressing the community elders monitored the process through which he emerged.

They asked NPDC to expedite action on the matter as lives were being affected adversely, stating that if the demands are not met within 48 hours, the house will take action by going to the appropriate quarters to seek redress.

Prior to this time, efforts to address the issue by the Youth Leader, Iyalla John-Jumbo has remained futile as Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) claimed the facility had been sold to the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), which NPDC after acknowledging being in full possession of the facility was yet to initiate any containment plans or do anything to address the situation.

Efforts to reach NPDC has remained futile as the company does not have a Media and Communications platform and correspondences to its parent company, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited also remained unreplied as at the time of this report.