The leadership of Kusimi Community in Warri South West has raised the alarm over a crude oil spill from the Trans-Forcados Pipeline (TFP), urging urgent intervention from federal, state and local authorities.
In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by the Community Executive Chairman, Mr Emmanuel Kusimi, and Secretary, Mr Benjamin Oyakonghan, the community said the spill, which reportedly occurred on Friday, February 20, 2026, has continued for days without containment.
According to the statement, the affected facility is operated by Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited.
“Our environment has been massively polluted. Aquatic life has been severely impacted, and fishing and farming — which are the mainstay of our people — have been brought to a halt,” the statement read.
The community leadership said preliminary findings indicate that the spill allegedly emanated from a rupture along a linkage of the Trans-Forcados Pipeline around Odidi 1 axis in Kusimi.
“The noxious crude flowing from the ruptured facility has left our people in hardship. Economic activities are completely grounded. Life, as we know it, is on pause,” the leaders stated.
They called on the Federal Government, the Delta State Government, and the Warri South West Local Government Council to immediately intervene and compel the operator to contain the spill and mitigate its impact.
Specifically, the community urged the Delta State Ministry of Oil and Gas and relevant regulatory authorities to mandate a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) involving all impacted communities to determine the cause and extent of the spill.
“We demand that the Joint Investigation Visit be conducted holistically and transparently, with full participation of the affected communities who are among the worst hit,” the statement added.
Beyond investigation, the leadership called for immediate relief materials to cushion the effects of the environmental disaster and for discussions toward fair and adequate compensation for damages to their rivers, farmlands and livelihoods.
They also appealed to intervention agencies, including the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), alongside other relevant bodies, to provide urgent assistance.
As of press time, Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited had yet to publicly respond to the allegations.
The incident adds to growing concerns over pipeline integrity and environmental safety in oil-producing communities across Delta State, where spills continue to threaten fragile ecosystems and local livelihoods.
