By TrackNews Reporter, Yenagoa
TWON-BRASS, Bayelsa State — Tension erupted in Twon-Brass Kingdom, Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, on Wednesday as indigenes and residents took to the streets in a peaceful protest over an alleged oil spill and environmental pollution linked to the reported submerging of a crude-loading barge at Nembe Creek in August.
The protesters, many of them fishermen and women whose livelihoods depend heavily on the waterways, accused Aiteo Exploration & Production Company, now operating as Nembe Exploration and Production Ltd, of failing to adequately address what they described as extensive damage to their marine environment.
Carrying placards and chanting solidarity songs, the protesters demanded urgent intervention, insisting that the alleged pollution has affected their waterways, fishing activities and sources of livelihood.
One of the dominant messages from the protesters was blunt:
“Aiteo, the damage is too much!”
The residents called on the company to take responsibility for the alleged environmental impact of the incident and immediately commence comprehensive remediation of the affected areas.
They also appealed to the Federal Government, Bayelsa State Government and relevant regulatory agencies to urgently investigate the incident, determine the extent of the alleged contamination and ensure that affected communities are not left to bear the consequences alone.
According to the protesters, the situation is particularly serious because Twon-Brass is a coastal community where hundreds of families depend on fishing and other water-based economic activities for their daily survival.
They expressed concern that continued pollution could further destroy aquatic life, reduce fish catches and deepen the economic hardship already being experienced by residents.
The protesters demanded an independent assessment of the affected waterways, insisting that the true extent of the alleged contamination must be established before an appropriate remediation plan is implemented.
They further called for the affected communities to be directly involved in the response process, saying residents who depend on the waterways should not be excluded from decisions concerning the environmental recovery of their communities.
The protesters also urged the authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the reported barge incident and determine whether there were lapses that contributed to the alleged pollution.
They warned that failure to act swiftly could worsen the environmental situation and create long-term consequences for the people of Twon-Brass and surrounding coastal communities.
The residents maintained that their protest was not aimed at causing disorder but at drawing urgent attention to what they described as a serious threat to their environment, health and economic survival.
They called on Aiteo/Nembe Exploration and Production Ltd to engage directly with the affected communities and provide a clear explanation of the steps being taken to address the alleged pollution.
“We cannot continue to watch our waters and means of livelihood being destroyed. Aiteo should act responsibly. The damage is too much,” the protesters said.
As of the time of filing this report, Aiteo Exploration & Production Company/Nembe Exploration and Production Ltd and the relevant government regulatory agencies had not publicly responded to the allegations raised by the protesters.
