Poor And Polluted Villages On Snake Island
The Guardian initially saw an oil leak on the lake and trash dumps on the left side of the Ijegun-Egba terminal’s coastline, often known as the “Water Side.”
The majority of oil tankers or ships that carry diesel often spill some on the water body, according to community people who were asked about the reason. They also pointed out that this happens when ships and drillers work on their engines while on the ocean.
As a result of this, the island’s primary industry and source of income, fishing, has declined since fish are now in short supply.
The Nigeria Oil Spill Monitor (NOSDRA) reports that there were 551 publicly accessible records of oil spills in 2022, totaling 18,720.164 barrels of oil. There was no estimated amount of oil spilt on 190 of them. The most recent spills and those whose specifics are still being investigated were not included in the statistics.
Approximately 30,000 people live on the island, also known as Snake Island. The ten communities are Ibasa, Ilashe, Ibeshe, Imore, Igbologun, Igbo-osun, Igbo-eseyore, Ikare, Irede, and Iyagbe, according to leaders of the community.
The presence of Ranogaz, Rainoil, and Bond Global Energy Projects were evident at Ijegun-Egba terminal, one of the main entrances to the snake island community (from this terminal, it is simple to reach at least four of the communities).
Because the life jackets were in poor condition and there was no assurance of safety in the event of an adverse circumstance, boarding the boat to go to Snake Island caused some anxiety.
The Guardian learned that there are no buses or tricycles to carry locals between the different settlements on account of the island’s geography, which is mostly sandy. Native Americans may travel in one of three ways: by boat, motorbike (also known as a “okada”), or on foot.
The individual has to find a route to the beach to board the boat in order to utilize one. Depending on the specific location, the cost varies. Obtaining an Okada is a difficult task because there are only a few available (in all visits across the communities, The Guardian counted no more than four), they are expensive (N500 per stop), and you need to have their contact information on hand so you can use it whenever you need to leave the house.
