For a long period of time, the indigenes of Iko town, Eastern Obolo Local Government, Akwa Ibom state, have had to live with the devastating effects that come with oil exploration, which has led to the loss of lives and left the community inhabitable. Daily Trust Saturday reports.
The people of Iko Town in the eastern Obolo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State are lamenting the devastating effect of many years of oil exploration on their community. They told Daily Trust Saturday that the oil spill has so polluted the area that their water has become poisonous and no longer safe for drinking, in addition to the destruction of economic activities and livelihood of the coastal community, which borders the Atlantic Ocean.
Findings from the community revealed that when collected in a container and kept for days, their water changes colour, which makes it unfit for drinking and cooking. It was also said that rainwater is the worst as it does not only turn black but discolors the container in which it is collected.
The unhealthy state of water in Iko is in sync with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) 2022 report that one-third of Nigerians drank contaminated water, and 70 percent of water, at the point of consumption, was contaminated.
Watching the watchdog: Newspapers get Ombudsman
Watching the watchdog: Newspapers get Ombudsman
This report negates the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 target to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030.
In fact, after Shell left Iko community after over 20 years of plaguing the area and turning the once fertile environment into a wasteland, a new oil exploration company, Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) and Natural Oilfield Services (NOSL) Ltd took over the job and have operated in the area for four years.
Their operations have further contaminated the water in the community, such that the people cannot even rely on rainwater as an alternative as it is said to be covered in soothe owing to asphalt operations run by the company.
