Lagos — The Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) of Nigeria-operated Joint Venture (JV) has raised an alarm over what it called a recent increase in sabotage attacks on its pipelines around Bonny in Rivers State and called for efforts by all stakeholders to help stop the unhealthy trend.

This is coming barely one day after the Bonny Local Government Chairman, Hon. Edward Pepple reportedly called on Shell, stakeholders and other relevant agencies to come to the aid of fishermen and the people of the island to save it from an impending oil spill.

The company said that between August 1 and 12 this year alone, it recorded three separate sabotage incidents on its Cawthorne Channel - Bonny and Alakiri - Bonny pipelines, where suspected crude thieves drilled holes or inflicted hacksaw cuts to siphon oil.

Shell's Vice President for Health, Safety and Environment and Infrastructure and Logistics in Africa, Mr. Babs Omotowa said in a statement yesterday that each incident was thoroughly investigated by a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) comprising government agencies, regulators, SPDC and community representatives which confirmed the cause as sabotage.

"In the latest incident, the investigating team discovered three hacksaw cuts on the Cawthorne Channel - Bonny pipeline. We have informed the relevant authorities of the incidents," he said.

Responding to the most recent incident reported on August 12, he stated that the company immediately mobilised its oil response team and deployed containment booms to prevent further spread of crude oil into the environment.

He noted that the company also enlisted the support of Clean Nigeria Associates, an industry body which facilitates containment and clean up of spills.

The JIT is currently in affected areas undertaking oil spill mapping work, he said.

"The environmental and social cost of widespread sabotage is simply unacceptable. Last year, 98per cent of the oil spilled from SPDC operations was caused by sabotage. It is our policy to clean up spills regardless of the cause. While we continue to contain and recover oil spilled from the Cawthorne Channel - Bonny pipeline and other facilities, our task is made more difficult if people insist on carrying out sabotage attacks and causing spills," Omotowa added.

He also stated that SPDC was working to carry out repair of the Cawthorne Channel - Bonny pipeline, as soon as the JIT completes its task.

The Chairman of Bonny Local Government Area reportedly raised an alarm that massive portions of the Opobo River in Opobo/Nkoro LGA of Rivers State heavily polluted by oil spillage was steadily moving towards the Bonny sea to cause further pollution and damage to the sea in that area.

"There is looming danger; massive portion of the sea, ravaged by severe crude pollution is flowing towards Bonny waters through the Opobo axis and this could be a major blow to fishermen whose source of livelihood depend on the sea, including passengers who also ferry across the sea" he said.

The Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) of Nigeria-operated Joint Venture has raised an alarm over what it called a recent increase in sabotage attacks on its pipelines around Bonny in Rivers State and called for efforts by all stakeholders to help stop the unhealthy trend.

This is coming barely one day after the Bonny Local Government Chairman, Hon. Edward Pepple reportedly called on Shell, stakeholders and other relevant agencies to come to the aid of fishermen and the people of the island to save it from an impending oil spill.

The company said that between August 1 and 12 this year alone, it recorded three separate sabotage incidents on its Cawthorne Channel - Bonny and Alakiri - Bonny pipelines, where suspected crude thieves drilled holes or inflicted hacksaw cuts to siphon oil.

Shell's Vice President for Health, Safety and Environment and Infrastructure and Logistics in Africa, Mr. Babs Omotowa said in a statement yesterday that each incident was thoroughly investigated by a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) comprising government agencies, regulators, SPDC and community representatives which confirmed the cause as sabotage.

"In the latest incident, the investigating team discovered three hacksaw cuts on the Cawthorne Channel - Bonny pipeline. We have informed the relevant authorities of the incidents," he said.

Responding to the most recent incident reported on August 12, he stated that the company immediately mobilised its oil response team and deployed containment booms to prevent further spread of crude oil into the environment.

He noted that the company also enlisted the support of Clean Nigeria Associates, an industry body which facilitates containment and clean up of spills.

The JIT is currently in affected areas undertaking oil spill mapping work, he said.

"The environmental and social cost of widespread sabotage is simply unacceptable. Last year, 98per cent of the oil spilled from SPDC operations was caused by sabotage. It is our policy to clean up spills regardless of the cause. While we continue to contain and recover oil spilled from the Cawthorne Channel - Bonny pipeline and other facilities, our task is made more difficult if people insist on carrying out sabotage attacks and causing spills," Omotowa added.

He also stated that SPDC was working to carry out repair of the Cawthorne Channel - Bonny pipeline, as soon as the JIT completes its task.

The Chairman of Bonny Local Government Area reportedly raised an alarm that massive portions of the Opobo River in Opobo/Nkoro LGA of Rivers State heavily polluted by oil spillage was steadily moving towards the Bonny sea to cause further pollution and damage to the sea in that area.

"There is looming danger; massive portion of the sea, ravaged by severe crude pollution is flowing towards Bonny waters through the Opobo axis and this could be a major blow to fishermen whose source of livelihood depend on the sea, including passengers who also ferry across the sea" he said.