ASABA — Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has ordered the immediate deployment of mobile medical teams and emergency healthcare interventions across coastal communities following a massive oil spill along the Trans-Forcados Pipeline that has now impacted 216 riverine communities.
The Governor issued the directive on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, during an on-the-spot assessment visit to Odidi, an affected community in Warri South-West Local Government Area. Accompanied by top military commanders and security chiefs—including the Commander of the 63 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Brig.-Gen. Ibrahim Buhari, and Commander of NNS Delta, Commodore Shehu Tasiu—Oborevwori disclosed that initial impact reports had risen sharply from 86 to 216 communities as crude slick continues to spread across waterways.
Governor Oborevwori emphasized that the state cannot afford to lose focus or waste time, stressing that local residents must be medically examined due to the severe health consequences of prolonged exposure to pollution. He noted that beyond financial compensation, the state’s immediate priority remains restoring the environment, protecting human lives, and safeguarding community livelihoods.
To address the immediate health crisis, the Delta State Commissioner for Health has been instructed to dispatch medical personnel to conduct health evaluations, deliver emergency medical supplies, and treat residents suffering from respiratory ailments and waterborne illnesses caused by contaminated water sources. The spill has severely polluted local rivers and creeks, devastating the local fishing industry and triggering acute fish scarcity across Warri and surrounding markets.
As part of long-term recovery efforts in the Odidi community, Governor Oborevwori approved the immediate construction of a modern landing jetty and directed the Warri South-West Local Government Council to establish a standard health center in the locality. Meanwhile, leadership from the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) called on pipeline operators and regulatory authorities to halt active crude flow through leaking sections, conduct immediate environmental remediation, and ensure full compensation is paid to affected families.
