News
Shell, Group Disagree Over JIV Reports
Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth, Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) and Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) have disagreed on oil spills investigation process in Bayelsa.
ERA/FoEN, an environment focused NGO has accused SPDC of withholding Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) reports of oil spill incidents traced to equipment failure to evade payment of compensation and promptly report sabotage induced spills.
The NGO explained that the oil firm has been engaging in the act of denying host communities in the Niger Delta access to JIV reports indicting the company over oil spill incidents.
The group, in a statement issued byHead of Field Operation of ERA/FoEN in Yenagoa, Mr Alagoa Morris also accused Shell of deploying security operatives to intimidate the communities and deny them of vital JIV reports.
It listed Ikarama and Biseni communities of Bayelsa State and Joinkrama 4, and Edagberi/Betterland communities in Rivers as some of the communities the company had denied JIV reports.
“SPDC often clandestinely denies the communities of the JIV reports; many of which are equipment failure-related oil spills. Shell has continued to deny the people of JK4 ,Ikarama and Biseni JIV reports craftily and, this is unacceptable.
“They withhold such reports from the communities and fail to post most of such incidents on the company’s spill incident website; the particular spill incident numbers are often quoted when giving out clean-up contracts.
“One such incident number is 900866 and relates to a 2012 spill which occurred at Shell’s Okordia Manifold at Ikarama which is conspicuously missing in SPDC’s website.
“After signing the JIV, Shell refused to give out the community copy on the pretext that they need to photocopy the report,on the way they forced down the community representatives from the vehicle and sped off “ the statement read in part.
The NGO further noted the major spill from Shell’s 6 inches Adibawa North pipeline in Kilama,Biseni in May, 2013, which polluted the Taylor Creek and several communities, the JIV report was also withheld by Shell officials.
“After community representatives had signed the JIV with other stakeholders, Shell’s representatives said they will sign their own inside their car. On getting to the car, they zoomed off with the JIV report”, the statement alleged.
“That was another equipment failure spill and Shell has adopted the roguish act of denying the communities any such official records implicating the company”, ERA/FoEN said.
ERA/FoEN insisted it was the right of communities to have JIV reports signed by them and other stakeholders, stressing that it was wrong for Shell to withhold the report which was supposed to form part of community records.
ERA/FoEN said that Shell underestimated spilled crude volume during JIVs reports of equipment failure related spills but inflated the quantity of spilled oil when it was attributed to oil theft.
Corporate Medial Relations (Manager) in SPDC, Precious Okolobo in a reaction stated, that the oil firm conducts Joint Investigation Visits of spill sites in line with government regulations.
Okolobo explained that whenever a spill occurs, efforts are made to contain the spill, with access to the spill site usually a critical factor in shaping the response.
According to him, there have been instances where individuals, community groups or armed gangs have denied SPDC access to spill sites.
“SPDC categorically denies these allegations, the JIV team is led by the operating company and includes representatives of the regulatory bodies and the Ministry of Environment.
“Officers of the Nigerian Police Force, the relevant state government personnel and impacted communities also attend.
“Civil society members are invited to join these joint investigation visits as observers to the process.
“Allegations of intimidation or exclusion of community people in JIVs in Ikarama, Biseni or any other areas are untrue and completely baseless. Also, allegations that we withheld JIV reports from people are false,” Okolobo said.
However, The Tide investigations indicated that most spill incidents induced by equipment failure are rarely reported by SPDC on its spill incident website.
Michael Ibobra, who resides in one of Shell’s host communities in Southern Ijaw LGA said that the oil firm was insincere and merely runs the web portal to blackmail the communities as vandals and evade paying compensation.
“They rarely report major spill incidents traced to equipment failure, look at the Seibou oil well incident that occurred since January 23, was it reported on their so called website? Go and check for yourself.
“The JIV of that incident said it was traced to equipment failure but Shell unilaterally said from their London Office that 550 barrels was spilled days before the JIV, so how did they know the volume when it was failure of the pipeline which was unanticipated.
“It goes to show that the JIV process has been abused to the advantage of the operator, and we are not naïve. Till date the January 23, spill has not been reported but they have all reported other spills caused by sabotage, “ Ibobra said.
Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, had lauded the courage and commitment of troops of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to the ongoing counter-insurgency operations in North East Nigeria.
Abubakar gave the commendation during a morale-boosting visit to the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI in Maiduguri, Borno.
This is contained in a statement by the Director, Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, yesterday, in Abuja.
The CAS said their sacrifices were etched in the history of the nation, and in the hearts of millions of Nigerians who sleep safer because of the troops’ vigilance.
He emphasised that their bravery and resilience in the face of adversity have not gone unnoticed, saying his visit underscored the vital role airpower plays in neutralising threats and protecting communities.
Abubakar pledged continued investment in cutting-edge technology to empower frontline units.
According to him, the NAF remains steadfast in its mission, guided by leadership, strengthened by unity, and driven by the selfless service of its personnel.
The visit comes at a critical moment, reinforcing the importance of public support for military operations and spotlighting the human element at the heart of national defence.
Nigeria’s soft drinks and beverage market continues to show strong growth potential, making it the leading consumer of soft drinks in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to the German Mechanical Engineering Industry Association.
A statement by the VDMA disclosed during a press conference held in Lagos ahead of drinktec 2025, that Nigeria consumed over 53 billion litres of soft drinks in 2024, placing it well ahead of other African countries such as Ghana and South Africa.
Despite challenges such as inflation and a weakening naira, Nigeria’s growing population, rising urbanisation, and expanding middle class are key factors driving demand in the beverage sector.
Bottled water led the segment with 48.7 billion litres sold in 2024, a figure projected to rise by 27% to 62 billion litres by 2028.
Carbonated soft drinks followed with 3.4 billion litres, expected to reach 4.4 billion litres by 2028, while energy drinks are forecasted to grow by 30% over the same period. Juices, though relatively small, are also on an upward trajectory.
“The Nigerian beverage market is expanding quickly due to increasing accessibility and affordability,” VDMA stated, citing data from Euromonitor International.
Set to take place in Munich from 15 to 19 September 2025, drinktec is the world’s leading trade fair for the beverage and liquid food industry.
VDMA, a key exhibitor and technical partner for the event, revealed that Nigerian participation is expected to be strong, especially as the country anticipates economic recovery.
Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has condemned the recent ban placed on a song by Nigerian musician, Eedris Abdulkareem, describing the development as a return to the culture of censorship and a threat to the right to free expression.
Abdulkareem had waxed a song titled “Tell Your Papa” which criticized President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
In a statement issued from New York University, Abu Dhabi, yesterday, Soyinka criticised the action and its wider implications, saying it echoed past attempts to stifle artistic and socio-political commentary in Nigeria.
“Courtesy of an artist operating in a different genre – the cartoon – who sent me his recent graphic comment on the event, I learnt recently of a return to the culture of censorship with the banning of the product of a music artist, Eedris Abdulkareem,” Soyinka said in the piece posted on PM news.
He expressed irony in suggesting that the ban did not go far enough, stating, “It is not only the allegedly offensive record that should be banned – the musician himself should be proscribed. Next, PMAN, or whatever musical association of which Abdulkareem is member, should also go under the hammer.”
Soyinka noted that he had not listened to the banned song but stressed that the issue transcends content and concerns a fundamental democratic principle.
“It cannot be flouted. That, surely is basic. This is why I feel that we should look on the bright side of any picture and thus recommend the Aleshinloye cartoon – and others in allied vein – as an easy-to-apprehend, easy-to-digest summation of the wisdom of attempting to stifle unpalatable works of art or socio-political commentary,” he said.
He also pointed out the irony that censorship often benefits the targeted artist.
The ban is a boost to the artist’s nest egg, thanks to free governmental promotion. Mr. Abdulkareem must be currently warbling his merry way all the way to the bank. I envy him,” he added.
The literary icon warned that such censorship was not only counterproductive but also dangerous to democratic development.
“We have been through this before, over and over again, ad nauseum. We know where it all ends. It is boring, time-wasting, diversionary but most essential of all, subversive of all seizures of the fundamental right of free expression,” Soyinka said.
He warned that the ban creates “a permissive atmosphere of trickle-down power,” where state authorities feel emboldened to clamp down on dissent.
Soyinka’s statement also touched on broader issues of impunity and mob violence in Nigeria, lamenting the recent lynching of 19 youths in Edo State.
“My heart goes out to friends, colleagues and families of victims and traumatised survivors of this senseless slaughter. Our thirst for justice must remain unslaked,” he said.
Referencing the 2022 killing of Deborah Samuel in Sokoto, Soyinka criticised the culture of impunity, saying, “Identified killers were set free to gloat, and paste their photos on the Social Media… in full daylight glare, in the presence of both citizen voyeurs and security forces.”
He called for accountability, warning that “as long as the culture of impunity is given the sheerest strain of legitimacy in any given cause, such gruesome assaults on our common humanity will continue to prevail.”
Soyinka concluded by urging the relevant regulatory body to reverse what he described as a “petulant irrationality,” warning that any government that only tolerates praise-singers “has already commenced a downhill slide into the abyss.”