The blaze, which stemmed from an oil and gas spill, destroyed several hectares of land, some of which have yet to have a weed grow on them after six months since the fire was quenched.

Owned by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPCL), the OML 18, Well 8 that caused the tragedy continues to hiss scarily on the creek in Zion City. Residents of the community expressed fear that they might experience further spills from the well because the same noise heralded the initial tragedy.

The oil and gas spill affected 17 communities, including Bukuma, Okpurata, Christ Liberty, Daily Bread, and Ambiama. The spill also polluted the water in the communities, posing serious health hazards.

The ICIR reported how the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) blamed the crisis on the NNPCL.

When our reporter visited the communities in June, residents decried how the spill and fire rendered them jobless.

People in the largely fishing communities said they could no longer fend for their families because the creeks had been polluted, and they struggled to catch fish they could eat.

Residents who spoke with The ICIR blamed the NNPCL for the crisis.

The king of Bukuma, Steven Jeremiah Tobis, said the NNPCL and other relevant agencies failed to respond to the spill despite being notified on time.

He said NNPCL Eighteen Operating Ltd (NOEL) left the facilities for years and didn’t care about them.

“So, the gas took off, and along the line, it turned into heavy fire. The fire consumed many houses. Up till now, the people are homeless in my communities, especially Zion City. Many houses were burnt. The flames were so intense that they covered all 18 communities in the neighbourhood.

“The smokes caused a lot of havoc. The sound of the fire was so loud that it affected other communities like Bukuma and some other LGAs in my area. The spillage was so much. It covered the three local governments of Asaga, Akuku-Toru, and Degema. But we are the most impacted people,” he stated.

The woman leader of the Bukuma communities, Tuomora Amagboruju, a doctoral holder and an indigene of Zion City, said the NNPCL was not bigger than the Nigerian government.

She appealed to President Bola Tinubu to prevail on the organisation to ensure comprehensive environmental cleanup, remediation and restoration of the communities.

At the Okpuruta village, the Community Development Chairman, Godukoye Natebou, said life had been good for the residents until the spill contaminated the water in the area and polluted the air.

“Since the spill occurred, life has been difficult for us. Fishing is no longer possible. We had to leave the environment and look for ways to survive elsewhere. You can see the place is scanty with people because there is no fish and business. The place has been deserted; nobody wants to stay there.”

Another resident, Alali Aworiabo, said the community had always been lively with many people fishing and farming. “Since the disaster occurred, most of the people who do business and farm in the community have run away,” he noted.

A Zion City resident, MacDonald Beresibo, said crude oil drenched trees and homes before the fire erupted. “The crude covered hectares of land away from the oil well, and it was like rain on our trees and buildings. The crude was everywhere, and there was nobody on the ground to stop it,” he stated.

As of the time of filing this report, The ICIR was informed that the NNPCL had begun clean-up activities in the communities. However, the activity initially experienced a hiccup with the protesting communities, until all the parties reached a truce.