LAGOS AUGUST 16TH (URHOBOTODAY)-Ndokwa East Coastal Towns and Communities Consultative Forum (NECTCCF), has discovered more than 40 toxic waste dumps in the bush and residential areas along Ogwashi-Uku – Kwale Expressway.
The operators were working for Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC), Sterling Energy and Exploration Production Company operating in the local government area.
This is after the recent arrest of three tipper lorries conveying substance suspected to be toxic waste, where the initial suspected perpetrators were apprehended by community leaders and police at Oloa-Ossissa axis of the express road in Ndokwa East Local Government Area.
NECTCCF has petitioned the federal and the state governments and well meaning Nigerians to prevail on the oil companies perpetrating the act to evacuate same immediately, to save the people from the negative impact of the deposit.
President of the forum, George Bucknor, who led newsmen to the waste dump areas, urged the Oil Exploration and Production Company, regulating NNPC authority, to direct the operators of oil and gas corporation in Ndokwa East local government area, not only to properly dispose their oily toxic waste, but also to commence immediate evacuation of the waste from the area.
He said the forum is yet to access the extent of the obnoxious impact of the oily toxic waste on the environment and the inhabitants living on the coastal communities.
He said they are being stealthily annihilated by NNPC, operators of oil and gas exploration and production, after 50 years of their successful operation in Nigeria was celebrated.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Lucky Uyabeme, confirmed that the suspected three tipper lorries that conveyed the suspected substance were still under the custody of the police prosecution at Ogwashi-Uku, adding that no analysis had been conducted yet.
Source: Daily Independent