Residents of Odidi, Kantu, Keremor and other riverine communities in Delta State have issued a fresh ultimatum to Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited and the Federal Government to repair the leaking Trans-Forcados Pipeline, warning that they may shut down the facility if urgent action is not taken.
The protesting communities said they had endured nearly seven months of crude oil pollution since the spill was reported on February 19, 2026, accusing the authorities and operators of abandoning them to hunger, disease and environmental devastation.
Among the most devastated communities are the Odidi federated communities, Kantu, Keremor, Izansa, Ebisoko, Ayagbene, Egenugbene and others, which are over one hour’s drive from the city of Warri in Delta State.
The affected communities, which are predominantly fishing settlements in the Odidi Federated Community and Ogbe-Ijoh Warri communities, said the spill had destroyed fishing nets, contaminated their water sources and made it impossible for residents to carry out their traditional means of livelihood.
The severity of the pollution became evident as the water around the affected communities was reportedly covered with crude oil, with residents complaining about the smell and its impact on their health.
The placard-carrying protesters also alleged that the pollution had spread across parts of Warri South-West and into Burutu areas.
Some of the inscriptions on the placards read: “Federal Government, save our souls. We are suffering, no food, no water,” “Six months spill without repair is wickedness,” “The river is our source of life, save our lives”, “Regulators sanction Heritage,” We cannot fish again,” “No repair, no production,” and “We want immediate cleanup”.
The Chairman of Odidi Federated Community, Chief Truston Gbenekama, said the failure to repair the pipeline had subjected thousands of residents to untold hardship.
“The spill occurred February 19, and up till date the repair has not been carried out. The environment is highly polluted. These are fishing communities and this is their livelihood. Every fishing material has been affected,” he said.
Gbenekama said residents were also without potable water and had received no adequate medical assistance despite the prolonged exposure to the polluted environment.
He described the relief materials reportedly supplied by Heritage as grossly inadequate for communities with large populations.
“How can you give a full-fledged community of over 1,000 persons four bags of rice, two bags of garri, two goats? It’s insufficient,” he said.
The community leader appealed to the Federal Government to immediately shut down the affected pipeline, carry out repairs and prevent further pollution.
The Secretary-General of the community, Chief Bene Mamamu, went further, demanding the withdrawal of Heritage Energy Limited’s operating licence, alleging that the company had demonstrated incompetence in handling the crisis.
Mamamu said the Joint Investigation Visit, JIV, had already been conducted, while the matter had also attracted legislative attention, yet the affected communities were still waiting for the leak to be stopped.
“How can you tell me that more than seven months a spill occurred, JIV has been done and you have also invited Heritage to the House Committee on South- South Development and up till now NPL, NNPCL, Heritage itself are not doing anything about it?”, Chief Mamamu queried.
He said the community had given Heritage a five-day ultimatum to repair the pipeline or face the consequences of further action.
Similarly, Chief Monday Keme, Principal Secretary to the Amakosu of Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom, HRM Monbene III in Warri South West LGA, condemned the prolonged failure to address the spill.
Keme said the incident, which occurred on February 19, had continued unabated as of September 12, 2026.
He alleged that the spill had become a recurring problem since Heritage took over the Trans-Forcados trunkline, recalling that a previous incident in 2015 allegedly resulted in the deaths of a woman and her four children.
According to him, the latest incident had reportedly claimed another life, while a vast portion of Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom had been affected.
“We have regulatory agencies like NOSDRA, NUPRC; none of them is doing anything. This kind of thing cannot be allowed, seven good months, our people have been suffering,” Keme said.
He warned that the communities would shut down the facility if the pipeline was not repaired within the stipulated period.
The family of the latest reported victim also blamed the prolonged environmental crisis for the circumstances surrounding her death.
Terry Ogisi, Public Relations Officer of the community, said his mother, Atete Ozuku, popularly known as Mama Terry, slipped on crude-oil-stained wooden stairs after returning from the river on September 2.
Ogisi said she sustained serious injuries and was taken to different hospitals after doctors recommended surgery, but she eventually died on September 10.
He said his mother was a fisherwoman and a mother of seven children.
“This spill occurred on February 19, play play, this thing don kill my mummy. We telling the government to bring immediate solution or else, we are barricading this river,” Ogisi said.
The incident has deepened anger among women in the affected fishing communities.
A fisherwoman from Ebisoko village, Mary Ekpenumu, said the spill had compounded the hardship already faced by residents, particularly women who depend on fishing for survival.
She said residents could no longer fish, light fires normally or rely on the polluted river for their daily needs.
“When we were fishing, we were suffering, but now adding this oil spill, the suffering has doubled. When we go fishing, we do not catch fish. We are suffering, there is hunger,” she said.
Another community leader, Chief Friday Deighan, said regulatory agencies had visited the affected area, documented the situation and left without stopping the leak or cleaning up the polluted environment.
Deighan said the pollution was still “gushing out” and had devastated a large territory stretching from Warri South-West towards Burutu.
He called on the Federal Government and regulatory agencies to immediately clean up the environment, provide adequate relief materials and compensate affected residents.
The communities said the relief items already provided by Heritage were inadequate, noting that they had repeatedly appealed for medicines and water without receiving sufficient assistance.
They also alleged that the Joint Investigation Visit attributed the spill to corrosion of the aged pipeline along the Forcados route, describing it as equipment failure.
With the spill entering its seventh month, the affected communities said their patience had run out, insisting that repairing the pipeline, stopping the leak and commencing an immediate cleanup must take priority for the oil company and the federal government.
The communities warned that failure to act could trigger further protests and the shutdown of the affected waterways and oil facilities.
Meanwhile, our correspondent’s attempt to speak with the management of Heritage Oil Plc on the latest update on the development proved abortive.
