Bayelsa villagers trigger alarm over quaking, cracking homes

…Our drinking water contaminated, roofs damaged, heat everywhere – Occupiers

…ERA/FoEN condemns gas flaring, negative impact on dwellers, environment

By Samuel Oyadongha

RESIDENTS of Ogboinbiri, a riverside community in the deep swamp of Apoi Clan, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, have pressed the panic button over their houses vibrating and getting disjointed due to unceasing gas flaring and worrisome overflow at a nearby flow-station operated by Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NAOC.

They complained that the community was facing extreme heat, roofs of buildings impaired and drinking water polluted as a result of uncontrolled gas overflow.

Sadly, while the three tiers of government share proceeds from fines relating to gas flaring, Ogboinbiri like others are left with just the negative impacts.

Sudden explosion at gas plant

Reliving a recent incident, a concerned indigene, Kuro, said: “Everyone came out with one hand on their children, babies on mothers’ backs as the community was threatened by unexpected explosion from the gas plant. Information got to us that even the personnel in the plant ran for safety while attempting to calm the situation.

“If you are in faraway Amassoma at night, you can see the shade of the flare. The noise is like a roaring lion. Our building roofs and entire earth vibrate at the same time of the incident. All neighbouring communities around are brightened when this occurs.”

Big threat, terrifying – Jones

According to another resident, Jones: “We cannot keep our two eyes closed at night when sleeping because we do not know when it will happen; though we do not pray for such. It is a really big threat to our lives. It is so terrifying.

“The community is so hot, facing extreme heat. All our roofs are damaged. Our source of drinking water, which is rain, is polluted,”  he said.

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