Niger Delta Oil Pollution: Residents Raise Alarm Over Cancer, Early Menopause, Deaths

Niger Delta Oil Pollution: Residents Raise Alarm Over Cancer, Early Menopause, Deaths

Residents of oil-producing communities across the Niger Delta have blamed persistent pollution for alleged increases in cancer cases, unexplained deaths and early cessation of menstruation.

The residents, drawn from Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta and Akwa Ibom states, raised their concerns during the second People’s Environmental Assembly, popularly called Eco-Festival, in Port Harcourt.

The event, organised by environmental rights group We the People, highlighted the environmental, economic and health challenges confronting communities affected by decades of oil exploration and production.

Held under the theme, “A Celebration of Culture, Resilience and Resistance,” the gathering brought community representatives together to demand urgent action against environmental degradation and its consequences.

Participants described worsening environmental conditions, declining fish populations, damaged farmlands and difficulties accessing clean water, warning that pollution threatened their livelihoods and overall wellbeing.

Precious Ibegwura, a resident of Erema Community in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, said oil pollution had made life increasingly difficult.

She lamented that oil exploration had damaged the community’s environment, leaving families struggling with health concerns and reduced access to safe food and essential resources.

“Our community today is nothing to write home about. Erema is now a community of tears,” Ibegwura said, accusing oil companies of destroying their environment.

She further claimed that residents rarely lived beyond 60 years, describing older community members as fortunate survivors amid what she considered a worsening health crisis.

Ibegwura demanded justice and accountability, insisting that companies responsible for environmental damage should answer for their actions and compensate affected communities for their losses.

Mitema Suoye George, from Otuabagi Community in Bayelsa State, also expressed concern about pollution, particularly its effects on fishing activities and residents’ health.

She recalled her mother’s accounts of a time when fishing provided abundant supplies before oil exploration and environmental degradation began affecting the community’s natural resources.

George alleged that some women were experiencing unusually early cessation of menstruation, while a study by the KATBETKACHE Women Development Centre reportedly identified cancer cases.

According to George, some women stopped menstruating at 35, while findings attributed to the study indicated that several residents were reportedly battling cancer.

She appealed for urgent intervention, arguing that affected communities needed justice, improved healthcare and meaningful action against environmental conditions threatening their lives and livelihoods.

Warda Nebani Beryamon, a former youth leader in Ikarama Community, Bayelsa State, similarly described the pollution affecting his community as severe and deeply troubling.

Beryamon claimed that Ikarama had experienced numerous oil spills and raised concerns about cancer and other illnesses, urging authorities to investigate the community’s health conditions.

He described the frequency of oil spills as alarming, arguing that the scale of pollution had placed residents under considerable pressure and demanded immediate attention.

In Bille Kingdom, Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State, Pastor Timothy Agumbiade, Executive Vice President of the Bille Kingdom Youth Federation, raised concerns about persistent gas emissions.

Agumbiade said gas leaks had affected waterways in the kingdom, which hosts two major oil fields, since October last year, prompting repeated visits by government agencies.

According to him, officials collected environmental samples during several visits, while media organisations also visited the area to document residents’ concerns about the situation.

However, he lamented that despite more than 16 visits by government agencies, residents had yet to see concrete results addressing their environmental concerns.

Agumbiade also recounted an explosion on July 3, claiming that a woman died after being taken to a local hospital for treatment.

He alleged that the facility failed to provide the necessary medical care, although the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death were not independently established.

The community representative further claimed that residents, including children, faced difficult conditions, while he personally experienced skin rashes and eye problems attributed to gas emissions.

He also alleged that Bille Kingdom recorded seven deaths in September and four additional deaths in October, claiming most victims were younger than 60.

Agumbiade called on relevant authorities and stakeholders to investigate the reported deaths, address the gas emissions and implement measures protecting residents from further environmental harm.

Meanwhile, Comrade Ken Henshaw, convener of We the People, said more than seven decades of oil exploration had contributed to the Niger Delta’s persistent environmental crisis.

Henshaw called for a comprehensive environmental audit to determine the extent of the damage, identify those responsible and establish appropriate measures for restoring affected communities.

He explained that the Eco-Festival was designed to encourage public participation, strengthen collective action and draw greater attention to environmental challenges confronting oil-producing communities.

The convener expressed hope that future editions would deepen accountability and ensure oil companies operating in the region addressed questions surrounding their environmental impact.

He maintained that affected communities deserved justice and that restoring damaged ecosystems was essential to protecting livelihoods and securing a healthier environment for future generations.