Six Months of Oil Pollution: Delta Ijaw Women Shut Heritage Energy Office, Demand Action on Odidi Spill

‘We cook in fear, fishing has collapsed’ Women allege worsening contamination, threaten sustained protest

By Ezekiel Kagbala

WARRI, DELTA STATE — Tension rose in the oil-rich Niger Delta on Tuesday as angry women from Odidi Community in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State stormed the operational office of Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited in Edjeba, Warri, protesting what they described as a six-month-old crude oil spill that has allegedly destroyed their waterways, fishing grounds and means of livelihood.

The women, who arrived at the company’s premises with placards and chants, demanded immediate intervention to stop the alleged pollution, clean up the affected environment and provide relief for residents they said had been left to suffer the consequences of the spill.

The protesters also called on the Federal Government and relevant petroleum and environmental regulators to investigate Heritage Energy’s operations and impose appropriate sanctions if the company is found culpable.

The development has renewed concerns over the reported contamination linked to infrastructure associated with the Trans-Forcados Pipeline, with community sources alleging that crude oil has continued to pollute the environment around Odidi despite efforts to contain the incident.

For the protesters, however, the issue has gone beyond an environmental dispute, describing it as a threat to lives, livelihoods and the future of the riverine community.

Leading the protest, Nancy Adowarebi said women and families in Odidi were living under severe hardship as a result of the alleged pollution, claiming that residents had become afraid of using firewood and other naked flames because of crude oil and hydrocarbon fumes around affected areas.

“I lead the protest because the people, especially women in Odidi Community, are in pains. Many of them are sick and starving to death because in the morning, the women cannot cook with firewood until the tide goes down,” she said.

Adowarebi alleged that the presence of crude oil in the community had created fears of a potentially devastating fire outbreak.

“Naked flame can cause a wide fire that is capable of wiping every living soul in the community,” she warned.

She said residents were now forced to exercise extreme caution while moving around the community and its waterways.

“We travel back home in fear of fire outbreak and, as such, everyone is being cautious to avoid whatever will create sparks. The community deliberately avoids the use of fire for cooking at all cost,” she added.

The protesters further accused the company of continuing crude oil operations despite the reported spill.

Adowarebi alleged that rather than suspending activities along the affected line until the pollution was brought under control, operations continued.

“The company did not deem it fit to stop pumping crude through the line knowing that when the spill happened, they kept working to curtail the spill; rather, they kept working. Hence, we are protesting,” she alleged.

She warned that the women would not abandon their campaign until they saw concrete action from the company.

“We will continue to protest till Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited does the right thing,” she declared.

Another protester, Evelyn Abobo, raised concerns about the alleged health consequences of prolonged exposure to the pollution.

Abobo claimed that several residents had developed health problems, while also alleging that one woman suffered a miscarriage following prolonged exposure to crude oil fumes.

She called on the Federal and Delta State governments, as well as the relevant environmental and petroleum regulatory agencies, to immediately send medical teams to the affected communities to assess residents and provide emergency assistance.

The health claims made by the protesters could not be independently verified as of the time of filing this report.

The latest crisis was reportedly first raised in February 2026, with residents subsequently demanding urgent intervention over the alleged leakage and its impact on the environment.

Community leaders and residents have since called for the affected infrastructure to be properly repaired, the contaminated environment cleaned up and victims adequately compensated.

They are also demanding an independent assessment of the affected areas to establish the extent of the environmental damage and determine the appropriate remediation required.

For Odidi residents, the alleged pollution has struck at the heart of the community’s economy.

Fishing, a major source of livelihood for families in the riverine community, has reportedly been severely affected, with residents alleging that crude contamination has damaged fishing grounds, aquatic resources and fishing equipment.

The protesters therefore insisted that the government and operator must go beyond the provision of relief materials by implementing a comprehensive environmental remediation programme.

Receiving the protesters, Heritage Energy’s Community Relations Manager, Jeremiah Oharisi, commended the women for conducting themselves peacefully and assured them that their grievances had been received.

Oharisi said the company would examine the issues raised and take appropriate steps.

“Heritage is more than willing to do the right thing,” he said.

The assurance, however, did little to erase the concerns of the protesters, who insisted that the prolonged nature of the crisis required urgent and visible action.

The Odidi protest has now placed renewed attention on the environmental and livelihood challenges facing oil-producing communities in the Niger Delta, with residents demanding that the reported spill be stopped, polluted areas remediated and affected families protected from further harm.