Biseni is an Ijaw oil producing community in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. Shell Petroleum and Development Company was the first company to prospect for oil within the community in the early seventies. It was closely followed by Nigeria Agip Oil Company in the 80s. Today, the community is host to some 78 oil wells and several clusters. |
| Name of conflict: | Multiple Spills in Biseni, Nigeria |
| Country: | Nigeria |
| State or province: | Bayelsa State |
| Location of conflict: | Yenagoa Local Government Area |
| Accuracy of location | MEDIUM (Regional level) |
| Type of conflict. 1st level: | Fossil Fuels and Climate Justice/Energy |
| Type of conflict. 2nd level: | Oil and gas exploration and extraction Pollution related to transport (spills, dust, emissions) |
| Specific commodities: | Crude oil |
| Project details | |
| Type of population | Rural |
| Start of the conflict: | 09/2007 |
| Company names or state enterprises: | Royal Dutch Shell (Shell) from Netherlands Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) from Nigeria |
| Relevant government actors: | Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. |
| Environmental justice organizations (and other supporters) and their websites, if available: | Environmental Rights Action, Friends of the Earth - Nigeria |
| Intensity | HIGH (widespread, mass mobilization, violence, arrests, etc...) |
| Reaction stage | Unknown |
| Groups mobilizing: | Farmers Indigenous groups or traditional communities Local ejos Landless peasants Neighbours/citizens/communities Social movements Women Fisher people |
| Forms of mobilization: | Community-based participative research (popular epidemiology studies, etc..) Development of a network/collective action Development of alternative proposals Involvement of national and international NGOs Official complaint letters and petitions Public campaigns Shareholder/financial activism. |
| Environmental Impacts | Visible: Biodiversity loss (wildlife, agro-diversity), Food insecurity (crop damage), Soil contamination, Oil spills, Surface water pollution / Decreasing water (physico-chemical, biological) quality Potential: Air pollution, Fires, Floods (river, coastal, mudflow), Global warming, Noise pollution, Deforestation and loss of vegetation cover, Groundwater pollution or depletion, Large-scale disturbance of hydro and geological systems |
| Health Impacts | Visible: Exposure to unknown or uncertain complex risks (radiation, etc…) Potential: Malnutrition, Infectious diseases, Other environmental related diseases |
| Socio-economical Impacts | Visible: Displacement, Lack of work security, labour absenteeism, firings, unemployment, Loss of livelihood, Loss of traditional knowledge/practices/cultures, Specific impacts on women, Land dispossession Potential: Militarization and increased police presence |
| Project Status | Unknown |
| Conflict outcome / response: | Migration/displacement Under negotiation |
| Development of alternatives: | An immediate action by Shell to completely re-mediate all spill sites within Biseni Community. Compensation of affected parties. Replace all faulty equipment and pipelines within the community and beyond. |
| Do you consider this an environmental justice success? Was environmental justice served?: | No |
| Briefly explain: | Shell multiple oil spill have devastated farmlands and rivers in Biseni Community. Shell has done nothing to restore the area, community people have not been compensated for their lost livelihoods. |
| References to published books, academic articles, movies or published documentaries |
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| Links to general newspaper articles, blogs or other websites |
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| Contributor: | Nnimmo Bassey |
| Last update | 08/04/2014 |