Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited has disclosed that the company has isolated its 14-inch crude oil production pipeline that was severed by the recent vandals’ activities. The pipeline facility situated at Okordia–Rumuekpe in Ikata, Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State was reportedly confirmed to be spilling crude oil into the community.

According to Mr. Michael Adande, spokesperson for Renaissance Africa Energy, in an official statement issued Tuesday, the company has shut down production in the affected pipeline segment to contain the spill and prevent further environmental degradation.

“We have taken immediate steps to isolate and discontinue production into the pipeline to minimize any potential environmental impact,” Adande said.

“Government regulators have been informed, and we are actively coordinating the statutory joint investigation visit, which will include their representatives and those from the local community,” he added.

In this vein, the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre, YEAC-Nigeria, has also confirmed the unpatriotic incident in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, hinting that the spill must have been caused by sabotage.

“Our volunteers on the ground reported the spill through our Crude Oil Spill Alert System, COSAS. They observed that vandals had excavated the ground and tampered with the pipeline, resulting in a massive release of crude oil into the environment,” Fyneface said.

“This act of third-party interference is not only a crime but an environmental disaster. We call on the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA, to immediately commence a Joint Investigation Visit to determine the cause and scale of the spill, and invoke the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021, to ensure accountability,” the group stated

 The above crude pipeline vandalism, causing an oil spill, is the second incident in less than one month after Renaissance witnessed an explosion along its 180 kilometers Trans-Niger Pipeline (TNP), which was believed to have cut off approximately 180,000 barrels per day of crude oil from reaching the export destination.