A massive fire has engulfed a wellhead at the OML15 facility operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
Known as the Bukuma/Buguma flow station, the site, located in the Asari-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State, has been burning for four consecutive days, sparking widespread concern and condemnation from environmental groups and human rights advocates.
The inferno reportedly began after security forces shelled the area in an effort to deter oil thieves. The resulting damage caused an oil spill that ignited into a raging fire. The situation has brought significant attention to the long-standing issues of oil theft and environmental mismanagement in the Niger Delta region.
Livingstone Membere, President of the Kalabari Youths Federation (KYF), led journalists to the site and explained that repeated security raids had caused the spill that ultimately triggered the fire. Membere’s account highlights the fragile nature of oil operations in the region and the unintended consequences of security measures.
Civil society organizations, including the Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN) and Defense for Human Rights and Democracy (DHRD), have criticized the slow response by federal and state authorities.
EDEN’s Executive Director, Chima Williams, described the delay in extinguishing the fire as “gross negligence of human and environmental rights.” He emphasized the devastating impact on local ecosystems and livelihoods, particularly for residents who depend on the area’s natural resources.
“It is unfortunate that for the people of the localities involved, the year 2025 has started on a bad note with the disruption of the environment that sustains their livelihood,” Williams said. He called on the Rivers State Ministry of Environment, NOSDRA, and other regulatory agencies to take immediate action and prevent further harm.
Clifford Christopher, Chairman of DHRD, threatened legal action and mass protests if the fire is not promptly extinguished and remediation efforts are not initiated. “The Niger Delta region for several decades has faced environmental degradation, exploration, and all manner of hazards, which has consequently reduced the life span of the people and their sources of livelihood,” Christopher said.
