Ikot Ebidang gas flaring sparks health and environmental concerns, with residents urging government intervention and company accountability

Residents of Ikot Ebidang in Onna Local Government Area have raised urgent alarms over the impact of gas flaring and oil exploration activities on their community, citing environmental degradation, health hazards, and disrupted livelihoods.

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The community hosts Natural Oilfield Service (Sterling Global), whose operations have reportedly caused noxious gas emissions, excessive noise, and soil and water contamination.

Community stakeholders highlighted corroded rooftops from combustion residues, declining crop yields, polluted rivers, and increasing cases of heat- and skin-related ailments.

“The soil nutrient is reducing and the gas flare has altered aquatic life. Our forest and rivers are polluted. We are dying, we need help,” one resident stated during a dialogue on renewable energy.

Residents have demanded a renegotiation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) granting the company access to their lands, calling on the Akwa Ibom State government to halt flaring near residential areas and ensure that associated gas is piped away.

The communique stressed the need for compensation for livelihood losses and the provision of adequate healthcare facilities to mitigate ongoing impacts.

Dr Nnimmo Bassey, Executive Director of Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), described gas flaring as illegal and a violation of human rights in Nigeria, warning of serious long-term health consequences, including reproductive issues, cancers, and blood disorders.

He pledged support to help the community achieve environmental justice.

Environmental advocates Umo Isua-Ikoh and Edem Edem urged residents to document evidence of oil spills and gas flare impacts in real time, including photographs with GPS data and samples for testing, to strengthen potential legal actions and long-term monitoring.

The experts also recommended that the operating company provide renewable energy solutions to mitigate environmental harm, while the government must prioritise routine environmental monitoring and air quality inspections.

They emphasised training and deploying local environmental advocates to safeguard the community’s health and environmental integrity.

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“Continued flaring within the community worsens health outcomes, environmental degradation, and community vulnerability,” the communique concluded.