Community leaders, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), and Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) have called on Chevron Nigeria Ltd to immediately stop an ongoing oil leak and contain the spill in Ilaje area of Ondo state.
TheHintsNews reports that the spill occurred on 12 April 2025 at its Berthing Operational Platform (BOP) located in shallow waters offshore Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.
In an open letter released on Monday, the groups raised the alarm over widespread environmental degradation caused by the spill, warning that it poses severe threats to local livelihoods, especially among fishing and farming communities.
The letter was jointly signed by CAPPA, ERA/FoEN, representatives of the Abereke communities (including Prince Taiwo Aiyedatiwa, General Secretary), local fishing cooperatives, individual residents of Ilaje, and grassroots environmental groups.
The groups noted that the affected areas have experienced extensive water pollution, destruction of marine ecosystems, and long-term damage to economic activities in the region.
They said: “This egregious environmental disaster demands immediate action. We call on Chevron Nigeria Limited to take full responsibility for the clean-up, restoration, and compensation for the devastation caused to our ecosystem.
“For decades, Chevron’s operations have left behind a trail of oil spills, gas flaring, and ecosystem degradation.
“Despite countless outcries, the company has consistently failed to uphold environmental and human rights standards in its host communities, who continue to suffer the devastating impacts of its operations.”
“Chevron’s recent oil spill has not only caused ecological damage but has also deepened existing gender inequalities, increasing the economic vulnerability and social marginalisation of women and children who play key roles in local fishing economies, family farms, and household sustenance.”
“The local waters are polluted, forests and marine life are destroyed, and the once-flourishing fishing and farming communities now struggle to survive.
“The long-term consequences of this spill will be devastating if not addressed promptly and effectively.”
The groups, therefore, demanded that Chevron must take all necessary measures to halt the leak and prevent further environmental damage.
They called on Chevron to conduct a thorough clean-up of the affected area: The company should deploy adequate resources and equipment to clean up the spill and restore the affected environment to its original state, with community and civil society oversight.