Delta Governor Orders Medical Response to Trans-Forcados Oil Spill

Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has ordered immediate medical intervention and urgent remedial measures to address the fallout from an oil spill along the Trans-Forcados pipeline, as the number of affected communities rose from an initial 86 to 216. He directed the State Commissioner for Health to deploy medical teams to assess residents' health and determine the impact of prolonged exposure to pollution, while also instructing pipeline operator Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited (HEOSL) to deploy its own medical team and provide relief materials. The governor made the directives during an inspection visit to Odidi community in Warri South-West Local Government Area, accompanied by senior security and government officials, including the Commissioner of Police, military commanders, and the state DSS director. He said the operating company had assured the government that technical work to stop the spill would conclude and cleanup would be completed before the end of October, after which compensation discussions would follow. He warned that the company's commitments must be honoured and called for genuine dialogue between the operator and host communities. Oborevwori noted the spill had severely disrupted fishing, the main livelihood for many residents, causing fish scarcity and price increases. He approved construction of a landing jetty for Odidi community and directed local authorities to build a modern health centre there, while tasking the Commissioners for Oil and Gas and Environment with monitoring compliance. HEOSL's General Manager for Operations Integrity, Nelson Wilbert, said the company's priority was completing technical operations to stop the spill and restore safe operations, alongside environmental assessment and compensation. The Ijaw Youth Council alleged crude was still leaking and demanded urgent remediation and medical support.