9 Bodies Recovered From Niger Boat Mishap – NSEMA

The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) has said that nine bodies were recovered from a boat mishap that occurred in Shiroro Local Government Area of the state. The Head of Relief and Rehabilitation in NSEMA, Alhaji Salihu Garba, disclosed this in an interview in Minna. Ten persons were confirmed dead in a boat mishap that occurred on Thursday, November 16. The victims, mostly traders, were reportedly conveying goods from Zongoru Community of Bassa Ward to Gijiwa, ahead of Friday market in Kuta, headquarters of Shiroro LGA, when the tragic incident happened. At least 34 persons were said to be on board of which 10 allegedly lost their lives, while 22 were reportedly rescued by local divers. Garba gave the names of the deceased to include Farida Muntari, Sharhabila Sagir, Bubakar Sadiq, Na’ima Ibrahim, Amina, Safaratu Ibrahim, Sadiq Ibrahim and Rafiya Yakubu. He said that the agency had yet to identify two of the deceased persons, adding that all the deceased were from Zangoro. He further said that there were 24 males and female adults and 10 male and female children in the boat when it capized. Garba also said that a search operation was ongoing to recover the remaining bodies. 

Oil spill has destroyed Aleto, Eteo communities’ source of water -Group

Health of Mother Health Foundation (HOMEF), has again decried the recent oil spills that ravaged Aleto and Eteo communities in Eleme Local Government of Rivers State, saying it has crippled farming and fishing activities in the area. HOMEF said the spills also destroyed the communities’ only source of potable water. HOMEF and members of Oilwatch Nigeria that paid visits to the two scenes recently for an on-the-spot assessment to ascertain the level of response and possiblecleanup of the affected environment, said it met the environment still in asorry situation as nothing is being done to salvage or clean the pollutions caused by the spills. A statement by HOMEF on Saturday signed by the Media and Communication Lead, Kome Odhomor, Executive Director, Nnimmo Bassey, expressed displeasure that the oil companies are neither decommissioning their aged infrastructure nor ensuring that their facilities are in good working condition. He regretted that rather than remediating the harm caused by their activities, more investments are being made by the oil companies to expand the areas of threat. Bassey further lamented that two months after the spill occurred, the companies have yet to respond and interface with the communities in any meaningful way. “It was heartbreaking to listen to the lamentation of the community women who now have no source of potable water and cannot process their cassava, a major staple due to the pollution of their stream. The insensitivity of the polluters andregulatory agencies is appalling. These atrocious incidents are also compounding the work of HYPREP. While the agency is working to cleansome areas, these polluting incidents are threatening to erase their efforts.” During the site visits, coordinator, Peoples Advancement Centre (PAC), and member Oilwatch Nigeria Celestine Akpobari, called on NOSDRA andother relevant agencies of government to do the needful and send reliefmaterials to the starving people immediately. “It is sad and very embarrassing that a spill of this magnitude at Eteo would happen in very close proximity to human habitation and the NPDC and the government ofNigeria carries on as if nothing has happened to the people. It is worse that the spill has affected the community’s only source of drinkingwater.  It is not enough to just sneak in at night to clamp the pipe, the right thing must be done.” While receiving the team of CSOs who visited his palace, His Royal Highness Emere Emmanuel T. Akobe the Paramount ruler of Eteo communityexpressed shock over the attitude of the NPDC saying, “Our beautiful stream is dead, my people don’t deserve this type of treatment and afterwe have brought the notice of the National Assembly, there is still noresponse from them, and my people continue to suffer the impact of thespill.” HOMEF reiterates that Aleto and Eteo communities and the entire Niger Delta must not be treated like disposable or sacrifice zones forprofit-seeking endeavours. NOSDRA should be more proactive in meeting thechallenging situations of oil spills in the region, while the polluting companies should urgently halt their polluting activities, clean uptheir spills, and pay compensation to affected individuals andcommunities. The CSOs also demanded that oil companies decommission all aged pipelines and facilities in the region in line with UNEPrecommendations in the assessment of the Ogoni environment.