Clean Nigeria Associate, a contingency response team established by some major oil companies operating in Nigeria, have commenced the clean up and recovery of oil impacted creeks in Nembe, Bayelsa.

Mr Idris Musa, Director, National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) who disclosed this on Wednesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said the exercise commenced on Monday.

He said that the Clean Nigeria Associate was established by some oil majors to clean up and recover oil impacted site in oil producing areas.

He said that the spill in Nembe creek was as a result of the vandalism of pipelines operated by Nigerian Agip Oil Company, adding that several thousands of barrels of crude oil was spilled into the creek.

He said that officials of NOSDRA in Port Harcourt had been given the necessary directive on how to assist Clean Nigeria Associate in the clean up exercise.

"When you have large volume of spill, which is beyond the capacity and capability of the oil companies, they will need more resources to carry out the clean up and recovery of the impacted sites", he said.