The lawmakers noted that many oil wells in oil-producing communities are depleted and are no longer commercially viable, resulting in the sale of old upstream assets by international and local oil and gas companies.

The House of Representatives has resolved to probe oil companies for alleged environmental damage in oil-producing communities and non-compliance with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

The House mandated its Committee on Petroleum Resources (downstream) to investigate environmental damage caused by non-compliance with extant laws by oil-producing companies.

The resolution followed a motion moved by Ahmadu Jaha (APC, Borno) on Wednesday during plenary.

While moving the motion, Mr Jaha said many oil wells in oil-producing communities are depleted and are no longer commercially viable, resulting in the sale of old upstream assets by international and local oil and gas companies.

He said international best practice demands that commercially non-viable oil well platforms be decommissioned to prevent environmental hazards or interference with other maritime activities.

Citing section 232 of the PIA, Mr Jaha said the law stipulates that at the end of their exploration activities, oil companies are to ensure that the environment is returned to its original state by decommissioning and disposing of non-viable platforms.

"Section 233 of the Petroleum Industry Act provides for the establishment of a fund for the mitigation of negative environmental impacts associated with decommissioning or abandonment of oil and gas fields and assets," he said.

Mr Jaha claimed that local and foreign oil and gas companies have persistently disregarded the extant laws by abandoning non-viable platforms and facilities at their operational bases without following standard practices.

He said the situation poses "great risks to the host communities as the emission of poisonous gases from abandoned facilities are resulting in unexplainable ailments and terminal diseases amongst the people."

"The abandoned facilities are impeding water transportation causing unimaginable dangers to farmers," he added.

The motion was adopted by voice vote without debate when it was put to vote by the Deputy Speaker, Ben Kalu, who presided over the session.