The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), her partners and relevant regulatory agencies in the oil and gas sector, alongside the Iloamatoru Community have gone for a joint investigation visit (JIV) to its facility in Cawthorne Channel 1 that was gutted by fire recently.

An official of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), who preferred anonymity, confirmed this to Kristina Reports on Tuesday, February 25, 2025 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The official told Kristina Reports that the JIV was conducted on Tuesday, February 25, 2025 at the scene of the fire incident at Cawthorne Channel 1 in Iloamatoru Community in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The JIV team comprised the NNPCL, NOSDRA, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Rivers State Ministry of Environment, and Iloamatoru Community.  

Though, details of the visit are still sketchy, a source hinted Kristina Reports that the visit and documentation of findings will be concluded in the days coming.

The fire incident being investigated occurred at about 2pm on Wednesday, February 19, 2025 at the NNPCL facility located at Cawthorne Channel 1 with the following coordinates latitude 4.551693° and longitude 7.047272°.

The location, which has Adamakiri fishing settlement to its North-East and Biekiri on its Eastern flank aside several other unidentified settlements, had its main river riddled with debris of a sunk vessel and three barges allegedly impacted by the incident.

The joint investigation visit (JIV) signposts a clear path of progress in the process of entrenching accountability in the nation’s energy sector.

A JIV helps the incidented company, affected community, the relevant regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders to jointly determine the immediate and remote causes of an incident anywhere within the nation’s energy landscape.

An energy expert, who works with one of the multinationals but prefers anonymity, praised the progress made so far, asserting that the NNPCL has shown the needed leadership for its joint venture partners to follow its example.

“Yes, they have displayed leadership. They have set the needed template. I hear the authorities compelled them to do the needful but that’s immaterial now. What’s important is that they have shown good faith in managing the process.”

“Usually, these multinationals refuse, evade and fight against JIV and any form of accountable conduct in their operations, especially when something goes wrong like this. But the NNPCL has charted an honourable path in its engagement with the community.”  

Also in an online chat with Kristina Reports, a security personnel who prefers anonymity because he is part of the process, commended both the NNPCL, its partners, and the Iloamatoru Community for effectively managing the process without any form of rancour.