Rivers Community Lament NIMASA Abandonment, Suffer Water Pollution After Vessel Collision in Bonny
L-R: HRH Amb Victor Nangibo, Hadiza Bala Usman, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola and Director General of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola
—More than 400 Fishermen Lost Means of Livelihood to Oil Spill
—Monarch Petitions Presidency, Hadiza Bala Usman for Intervention
By DAPO OLAWUNI
Two months after two vessels; MV Maersk Valporaiso and MT Lady Martina had a collision on Bonny Channel thereby leaving an oil spill, fresh indications have emerged that the government is yet to carryout a proper clean-up exercise or compensate the coastal communities whoose fishing gears were allegedly destroyed.
In an apparent cry for help, the paramount ruler of the Ikpokiri/Torukongo Coastal communities in Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area of Rivers State, HRH Amb. Victor K.I Nangibo De 1 JP, has petitioned the Presidency over what he described as the abandonment of his people by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) following the oil spill that has crippled the livelihoods of more than 400 fishermen and women in the area.
In a letter dated 15th July, 2026 and addressed to the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination, Madam Hadiza Bala Usman, a copy of which was sighted by DAILY TREND, the traditional ruler recounted that the collision between the two vessels, MV Maersk Valporaiso and MT Lady Martina, polluted the community’s river with petroleum products and destroyed fishing nets worth billions of naira.
According to the letter, the incident occurred “on 20th of May, 2026 at about 11:30 am.
One ship, MV MAERSK VALPORAISO and MT LADY MARTINA collided due to marine traffic failure and polluted our river with petroleum product in large quantity.
“More than 400 fishermen/women were affected, their fishing net were all destroyed worth billions of naira, up till today no cleaning has been done to enable us go fishing” he alleged
The paramount ruler lamented that the pollution had deepened the hardship of communities that depend almost entirely on fishing for survival, warning that residents are now fleeing their ancestral homes.
“People have started leaving their communities due to hunger and neglect by authorities and the companies involve,” he stated.
He accused NIMASA’s Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, of being aware of the situation without any action being taken to address the plight of the affected fishermen.
“The Director General/Chief Executive Officer (DG/CEO) of Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Dayo Mobereola is aware and up till to day nothing has been done despite our cry for intervention and compensation for our damaged fishing gears,” the paramount ruler alleged.
Appealing directly to Hadiza Bala Usman, whom he credited with earlier development interventions in the community during her tenure as Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the monarch urged her to use her current office to press for justice and compensation for the affected persons, as well as a clean-up of the polluted river.
“We are crying to you Madam Hadiza .B. Usman to use your good office to help us so that justice can prevail and all affected people compensated and the River cleaned, people will start dying if you don’t do something about our situation before it goes out of hand,” he said.
The letter noted that a list of the affected persons had earlier been forwarded to the NIMASA DG, with copies sent to the companies said to be involved, Maersk Line and Blue Dolphin Petroleum Limited, but that all the parties involved failed to take responsibility.
“See attached list of the affected persons that was sent to the DG of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, we also copied the companies involve, MAERSK LINE and BLUE DOLPHIN PETROLUM LTD,” the letter concluded.
DAILY TREND recalls that NIMASA had earlier confirmed an oil spill in the Bonny Channel following the collision between the two vessels, saying an oil sheen was observed in the water afterward, raising concerns about the environmental impact.
The agency also said at the time, that it had commenced an environmental impact assessment and was working to contain the spill and limit further marine damage.
