… NIMASA confirms incident, NOSDRA assesses damage

Oredola Adeola

An oil spill caused by a ruptured pipeline occurred on Saturday, December 14, 2024, at the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) loading terminal in Bonny, Rivers State.

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and and the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) has confirmed the incident.

Mr. Osagie Edward, Head of Public Relations at NIMASA, issued a statement on Sunday providing details of the development.

According to the statement, SPDC promptly shut down the affected pipeline and deployed containment booms to prevent the spill from spreading further and protect nearby communities.

“Although the spill has reached the shoreline, NIMASA is actively monitoring the situation from an emergency operations center,” Edward said.

“The agency is working in collaboration with SPDC and other stakeholders to assess the extent of the spill and determine necessary follow-up actions.

“Members of the public are advised to remain calm as NIMASA is committed to mitigating the impact of the spill and restoring the affected areas.”

Meanwhile, the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) has also confirmed the incident.

Mr. Ime Ekanem, Port Harcourt Zonal Head of NOSDRA, stated that the agency has commenced an investigation into the spill and assured the public that a final report will be released as soon as possible.