Gas flare pollution: Our complaints to NNPCL Subsidiaries, met stiff resistance – Esiegbuya, writes Delta Attorney-General/Commissioner for Justice

An entrepreneur and property owner in Ubeji, Warri, Delta State, Mr. Samuel Esiegbuya, has petitioned the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Delta State, Mr. Ekemejero Ohwovoriole, SAN, over what he termed protracted matter of “environmental enemy called gas flaring and its associated and deadly Black Soots”, allegedly caused by the operations of NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company Limited, saying previous complaints addressed to the company and other relevant government parastatals, met stiff resistance and were treated with disdain.

Mr. Esiegbuya, in the letter dated March 18, 2024 and made available to Fresh Angle International, today, Thursday March 28, mentioned Agberuku crescent and Mone street in Ubeji Community, Warri, as areas worst hit by the pollution caused by the gas flare.

The petition, stated inter-alia: “May I humbly present my compliments and once more use this opportunity to draw your attention to the above subject matter, which has continued to engage the attention of some concerns NNPC Limited, its subsidiary NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company Limited, erstwhile Nigerian Gas Company Limited and some Delta state statutory Commissions under the Ministry of Oil and Gas and the Ministry of Environment, respectively, without remedy and/or remediation.

“I am constrained to write to you on this perturbing and protracted matter, because it has been an hellish situation, fret and/or source of worries to us as a family and others equally affected as people of Ubeji Community and particularly the satellite area of the town in Agberuku crescent and Mone street where we have our dear families and respective properties as we are the mostly and tremendously affected by this common human and environmental enemy called gas flaring and its associated and deadly Black Soots.

“Prior to the incidences of this  black soot in the said area ravaging, properties, lives and the innocent environment at large, I/ we have written several letters to the Managing Director of the said orchestrating NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company Limited, The Group Managing Director of NNPC Limited and also to some media houses soliciting for interventions in the matter and in conjunction with some pre action notices as briefly and instructively initiated by legal practionsers and all to no avail but instead my/ our complaints met with stiff resistances and where also treated with disdained and outright levity.

“As the Chief Law Officer of the state, with due respect, you have a public duty on this chronic environmental hazards killing us slowly and destroying our hard earned properties at this spelt domain, so that we the good people and law abiding citizens of the affecting Ubeji Community and particularly the satellite area covering the Mone street and Agberuku crescent behind the Nigerian Gas Company  NGC, as we need enjoying from the dividend of your democratic responsibilities and of-course the More Agenda of His Excellency, Hon. Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of our dear state to us as a people, recognized by law for a peaceful existence and as guaranteed by the extant and bylaws and to find a way forward on how to help us out of this deplorable and perennial squalor that we have found ourselves in legitimately devoid of modern system politics, as we obviously and alternatively have nowhere else to go from here.

“Hon. Attorney General of the State, your response in this very matter is crucial, because it has become glaring and crystal that this issue requires your utmost urgent attention and as such a state of Emergency and if you don't come to our aid at this peril time, it's obvious that the problem will continue to linger to our yet unborn children unabated and at our own detriment as the said Company NNPC Gas Infrastructure is suffocating us with its oil explorational activities with ultra vires.

“Chief Attorney General,  I hereby attach copy of letters previously written to the said Companies, Delta State Commissions, video coverage produced by the Delta Broadcasting Services, DBS with respect to the same issue and also a disenfranchising response letter dated 20th November 2023, the picture of the destructive production Chimney belonging to the mentioned firm located at proximity to my affecting property and other pictorial evidences of some visible defects or damages to our building properties in the domain as a result of the operational activities of the infracting Company and as marked as Annexure A, B, C, D, E and F, G, H, I, J and K respectively for your examination and possible assistance as it where, please.

“I humbly implore and hope to hearing from you with regards to this aforementioned highly disturbing instant case, please.”

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