The Cry of Odidi: Oil Spill Victims Beg Government, Heritage Energy for Urgent Help
By Kaka Pere
Indigenes of Odidi Federated Community in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State have raised a fresh alarm over the worsening impact of an oil spill which they say has continued to threaten their livelihoods, environment and wellbeing for more than six months.
The residents made the appeal during a visit to the community on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, as they called on the Federal Government, Delta State Government, Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited (HEOSL) and relevant regulatory agencies to urgently intervene in the situation.
The community also appealed for the immediate commencement of a comprehensive cleanup of the affected environment, alongside the provision of adequate relief materials to residents whose livelihoods have reportedly been disrupted by the pollution.
During the visit, relief items reportedly provided by HEOSL were displayed in the community. The materials included bags of garri and rice, cartons of groundnut oil, tubers of yam and rams.
However, residents expressed disappointment over the quantity of the items, insisting that they were insufficient to meet the needs of the numerous households affected by the spill.
A woman leader, who pleaded anonymity, said the community was not merely seeking food but demanding what she described as its rights and adequate intervention to address the consequences of the pollution.
“We are not begging for food. What we are demanding for is our right which must be given to us. Unless more relief materials are coming, these ones are inadequate to go round,” she said.
The Odidi Youth President, Comrade Meneko Friday, acknowledged the relief intervention by Heritage Energy but said the materials provided could not adequately cushion the hardship experienced by residents.
“We appreciate that some relief materials have been brought, but what was provided is not enough considering the number of people affected and the period we have been living with the consequences of this spill,” he said.
According to him, the immediate priority should go beyond temporary relief to the restoration of the polluted environment.
“But more importantly, what we need urgently is a proper cleanup of our environment. We also need medical professionals to come and assess the health of our people because we have been exposed to this situation for too long,” Meneko added.
The youth leader appealed directly to Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to intervene in the crisis and ensure that residents of the creek community also benefit from government programmes.
“Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Ukodo is your title. Please bring Ukodo to us in the creek, we are begging you. Let us also enjoy the dividends of your administration because we are suffering,” he appealed.
He further warned that continued neglect could deepen the hardship being experienced by the people, stressing that the peaceful disposition of the community should not be mistaken for an absence of suffering.
The residents said the environmental impact of the spill was particularly concerning because many members of the community depend on fishing, waterways and other natural resources for their livelihoods.
They therefore called for an independent assessment of the affected areas to establish the extent and cause of the pollution and determine the appropriate remediation measures.
The community also appealed to the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and other relevant federal and state authorities to visit the affected locations, conduct proper investigations and ensure that the polluted environment is effectively cleaned and restored.
Another major concern raised by the residents was the possible health implications of prolonged exposure to the polluted environment.
They called for the immediate deployment of qualified medical personnel to conduct health assessments, particularly for children, women, elderly persons and other residents who may have been exposed to the affected environment.
The community further urged Heritage Energy to intensify engagement with residents and community leadership while increasing the volume of relief materials being distributed to affected households.While appreciating the intervention already made, the indigenes maintained that relief materials alone could not resolve the crisis.
They insisted that the ultimate solution must involve the restoration of the environment, protection of aquatic resources and measures to safeguard the livelihoods of people who depend on the creek for survival.
As the community continues to wait for a lasting solution, residents are appealing for urgent and coordinated action from Heritage Energy, the Federal Government, Delta State Government and relevant environmental and petroleum regulatory authorities.
For the people of Odidi, the message is clear: the spill is not just an environmental incident; it is a threat to their homes, livelihoods and future.
Their cry is for immediate relief, medical intervention, environmental cleanup and a lasting solution to the oil spill crisis.
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