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On Monday June 25 2001, the earth rights of the unsuspecting people of Ogbodo Community of Isiokpo in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State were seriously threatened following a major oil spill into the waters and lands of the community. The spill was reported to Shell and the State Government on the morning of June 26, 2001.It took the Shell Development company Limited three good days to respond to the emergency call and another five days to intervene and stop the spillage and fire outbreak.

INSITUTE OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND HUMANITARIAN LAW (IHRHL)

PRESS RELEASE

July 12, 2001

OGBODO-ISIOKPO COMMUNITY EARTH RIGHTS THREATENED

The IHRHL
on-site investigators, lead by its Executive Director, Anyakwee Nsirimovu,
witnessed the level of damage to physical and aquatic lives in the
environment. At the time of presenting this press statement, the State
Ministry of Environment is still making arrangements to visit the area.

Shell Petroleum Development Company has once again displayed its lack of
preparedness in the face of emergency situations resulting from its
operations throughout the Niger Delta region; and lack of care for the
people and their environment. The company displayed complete insensitivity
for no good reason in a matter requiring speedy action, in view of the
environmental hazards which oil spill of such magnitude posit to the lives
of the people of the area. As the running river of Ogbodo which joins many
other neigbouring towns and villages in the Ikwerre, Obio/Akpor and Emohua
Local Government areas, million more lives continue to be endangered.

The polluted lands and waters in the area are the only sources of livelihood
of the people, especially drinking water. On the whole Shell dropped 14
pieces of 500 litre water cans in a community as large as Ogbodo. Ogbodo
according to the Community traditional leader, Chief Hopson Amad, consists
of 15 families, each family or compound totals about 10,000 people. As at
the time of writing Shell has given Ogbodo people in the name of relief
material - 70 bags of rice, 56 bags of beans, 140 sticks of stockfish, 60
bags of salt.

Water is delivered to the community once every 2 days in effect Shell is
giving each person in Ogbodo 0.025 litre of water per day. At the time
when IHRHL delegates visited the area, July 2, 2001, there was no single
drop of water in any of the cans. People were seen going to places where
they saw less oil on water to collect water for their chores. The IHRHL
intervened at different points to educate them on the dangers inherent in
using such polluted water for anything at all. What is clear is that the
very poor people of the area has no choice, especially those who cannot
afford monies to engage in buying spring water, at least for drinking,
cooking etc.

Two Ogbodo indigins who drank the water are presently lying critically ill
at one of the General Hospital in Port Harcourt. Families close to the spill
sites have had to evacuate from their homes as breathing has become very
difficult and the stench most unbearable. The people are gradually becoming
refugees in their own community and town.

The IHRHL operate a Community Legal Advice Centre at Isiokpo town which
Ogbodo community forms a part. The IHRHL therefore has been regularly
monitoring developments and documentation on daily basis. An awareness
programme has been slated for the community on Saturday July 14 2001 for
purposes of sharing information on the present danger and the need to
continue to keep the peace. One of the reason is to fostall Shell's usual
excuse of people not allowing them into the community. The people of the
area have been very peaceful, regardless of this Shell has in their usual
military fashion requested and obtained fierce looking military personnel
with automatic rifle who are presently occupying Ogbodo community as Shell
security.

This is creating enormous tension in the area and is in keeping with Shell’s
attitude generally each time its pipe bursts and the environment is
devastated. Their initial object is to create tension and thereafter, and
ensure its adivide and rule tactic which means that when tension turns into
flames and destruction, Shell excuses itself and the gun throttling military
and paramilitary personnel will kill, maim and destroy.

For the avoidance of doubt, environmental damage has direct effects on the
enjoyment of such rights as the right to life, health, satisfactory standard
of living, sufficient food, housing, education and culture. Article 24 of
the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights which is a binding
instrument on Nigeria, states " All peoples shall have the right to a
general satisfactory environment favourable to their development. The stated
rights are presently under serious threat at the farming community of
Ogbodo, Isiokpo, of Ikwerre ethnic nationality.

The IHRHL implores all its local, regional and international networks and
coalitions, that know environment to be our first right, to bring pressure
to bear on this Giant Oil Multinational that is bigger than its hosts, to
adopt civilised standard of operation in the devastated oil producing
communities of the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria. Most of Shell’s
underground and overhead pipelines have aged and rusted – thereby resulting
to frequent spills on the environment. The standard of operation in the
Niger Delta region of Nigeria is not comparable to what is obtained in any
of the developed country where oil prospecting activities is ongoing.

While calling on the State Government and Shell Petroleum Development
company to move fast and clean up the environment and reduce the enormous
threat to life posed by the spill, the Institute of Human Rights and
Humanitarian Law, have enjoined the Ogbodo community to remain united and at
peace with all their neighbours in their struggle for a clean environment,
prompt and effective compensation.

Before enormous frustration sets in and anger bursts into violence, the time
to act for all concerned is now.

Signed:

Mr. Chris Isiodu, Esq.

Programme Officer (Earthrights )