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COMMUNITIES IN AKWA IBOM STRATEGISE TO KICK POLLUTING OIL COMPANIES OUT


Oil and gas polluted communities in the Niger Delta and environmental experts say the life expectancy in the region has dropped to 40-47 years, which is 15 years lower than the national average. This was established at a townhall meeting organized by Community Development Advocacy Foundation (CODAF) in Akwa Ibom state, with Eket and Ibeno community members on May 30, 2026, to conclude the Africa Week of Action, themed "Kick Polluters Out of Nigeria".

The meeting highlighted the environmental, health and economic impact of the International Oil Companies (IOCs) in the state, accusing companies like Total Energies, ExxonMobil, and Seplat of perpetuating pollution under the guise of corporate social responsibility. They criticized the Nigerian government's response to oil spills, citing corruption and lack of accountability.

Project Manager of CODAF, Endurance Oriakhogba, attributed this 15-year gap directly to the cumulative effects of hydrocarbon pollution, including contaminated water sources, respiratory diseases from gas flaring, and destruction of agricultural livelihoods. 

“In August 2024, over 27 coastal communities in Ibeno LGA were heavily impacted by a major spill allegedly linked to an international oil company's offshore facility. The spill severely polluted local water bodies and disrupted fishing activities.

France officially banned the granting of new exploration licenses and aims to phase out all active extraction operations by 2040. Total Energies is a French owned multinational integrated energy and petroleum company. France is banning domestic extraction, but not French-owned extraction abroad.”

Also speaking at the meeting, a youth leader of Eket community, Honour Michael criticized the Nigerian government’s response to oil spill incidents. He asserted that the government has “turned a deaf ear” to the cries of impacted communities, a situation he stressed is due to compromise and corruption within regulatory bodies. He noted that compensation payments are rarely made, and when they are, they do not reach the affected individuals, thus leaving communities without legal or institutional recourse.

Another community member, Asan Ekong raised a specific, urgent observation regarding Seplat. He noted that Seplat has recently begun removing its insignia (logos and branding) from its projects and staff uniforms within the community. He interpreted this as a potential tactic to reduce accountability or to psychologically distance the corporation from the visible environmental damage. Mr. Ekong further accused IOCs of fuelling corruption among community leaders and government officials, thereby neutralizing internal resistance.

The community resolved to take action, proposing a strategic roadmap to kick polluters out:

- Legal Action: Filing class-action lawsuits against IOCs

- Economic Pressure: Boycotting IOC services and pressuring banks

- Legislative Advocacy: Petitioning the National Assembly to revoke licenses

- International Solidarity: Submitting a complaint to the UN Special Rapporteur

- Independent Monitoring: Establishing a Community Pollution Register

The town hall meeting concluded with a unified commitment from Eket and Ibeno communities to transition from passive victims to active litigants and advocates, with CODAF committed to supporting a non-violent, legal, and economic “Kick Out” campaign against polluters. The community resolved that the removal of IOC insignia (as observed with Seplat) will be met with increased scrutiny, not decreased vigilance.

 


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