Patrick Odey No fewer than 27 coastal communities of Akwa Ibom State have been thrown into mourning and panic following a fresh oil spill allegedly by Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited Offshore facility which occurred in the early hours of Thursday, in the Ibeno Local Government Area of the state. The affected communities include Inua Eyet Ikot, Iwuo Ukpom, Mkpanak, Esuk Ikim Akwaha, Esuk Ikim Ekeme (Nta Ikang), Itak Idim Nekpe, Itak Ifaha, Ndito Eka Iba, Atia, Okposo I & II, New Barracks, Ineh Atian, Itak Ibang, Upenekang and Okoro Itak. Others include Iwuochang, Ikot Inwang, Okoro Utip, Ntafre, Atabre Ikan, Idung Abasi Okure, Qua Iboe River, Iwuo Ukpo Opolom, Ineh Ebot, Ineh Ikwe, Ineh Ukpana and Ntungo Akata.
Stakeholders of the affected communities confirmed the development and shared photos and videos of the devastation with our correspondent in Uyo on Saturday. One of the stakeholders who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation by the internal collaborators told PUNCH Metro that the spill polluted the water bodies of the affected communities, killing fishes, fingerlings and other aquatic animals and seafood. While noting that neither the staff of the spiller –Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited nor any government regulatory agency had yet to visit the site nor made any statement on the matter, he called on the government to immediately intervene by conducting a damage assessment for payment of compensation to the affected communities to alleviate their.