Nigeria, Aug. 20 -- On 6 May, a Trans Niger Delta pipeline carrying crude oil burst at B-Dere, a community in the Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State. The incident forced Daniel Kpoobari-Bani, his wife, and their four children to leave their home quickly to escape the flammable oil gushing out of the ruptured pipeline a few metres away from their front door.

The oil spread into many homes and farmlands in the community.

"My compound was affected by the leakage," Mr Kpoobari-Bani narrated to PREMIUM TIMES during a visit to the community at the time. "We have been in discomfort since the incident occurred."

Workers from the Shell oil company stopped the spillage on 15 May. This reporter observed as two tanker trucks sucked up th...