About 300 fishermen are left stranded and farmlands destroyed following an oil spill in Aleto, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State.

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Residents alleged that the spill originated from a manifold operated by the Shell Petroleum Development Company, inflicting significant pollution upon the Okuru River, which traverses the communities of Aleto, Akpajo, Agbonchia, and Ogale within the Eleme LGA.

They lamented that the river is a major source of livelihood for about 300 registered fishermen in the area.

They said the spill was first noticed last Sunday and had been flowing into the river without any effort to contain it.

According to them, some villagers have already fled their communities because of the bad smell caused by the spill.

The fishermen expressed anger that their source of livelihood had been destroyed, saying they could no longer cater to their families’ needs.

One of them, who gave his name only as as Wuwu, said, “On Monday I came to check my net, but I saw that the river was ‘black’ and spoiled. I couldn’t even find my net.

“There were no fishes because the water is polluted. I don’t know where to start because this is the only thing I have been doing to take care of my family.

“If there is anything the company can do to help us, let it be done immediately. But they should clean this place first.”

The Eleme LGA Chairman, Obari-Ollormate Ollor, who visited the site of the spill, said preliminary observation showed that the incident was caused by equipment failure.

While accusing Shell of insensitivity since the incident occurred, Ollor said the people would await for the oil giant to visit the facility so that the Eleme people would not be accused of sabotage, even as he called for calm from the youths.

“We have discussed this on the telephone with the people who are managers of their pipeline at Shell. They are not here yet. However, when they come for this visit, it is determined by them. We will look at it together and agree on a document that says this is what has happened here. Our people are aggrieved as I speak to you.

“The youths are angry. Those who would have had cones for fishing today are all stranded. They don’t have anything to do; you can see they are all hanging around because fishing is what they do to survive.”

When contacted, a spokesman for SPDC, Michael Adande, said the cause of the spill had not been ascertained.