NIGERIA (Bayelsa) – Residents of Ikarama, in Yenagoa Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, has abandoned their homes to avert possible health hazards from prolonged exposure to oil spill from the Shell’s oil field in the community dated back to November.

Speaking on behalf of the community, Freeborn Roland, who is its spokesperson, said that he and other residents near the impacted area abandoned their homes because of the health implications, especially on their children.

“My house is surrounded by the spill and because we don’t have money we were initially reluctant to take the option of relocation. We have been enduring and suffering the negative health impacts, especially my children, my older children suffered the same thing in the past.

“This spill happened not long after my wife gave birth to twins. It was a matter of life and death as my new babies also came down with strange symptoms. Luckily, through the help of a Good Samaritan, I have been able to relocate my family twice this year due to oil spill in this environment,” he said.

Speaking in the same vein, Ayibakuro Warder, a women leader in the community, said she was concerned about the health implications of the spill.

“We have been lamenting all these years about oil spills. Our livelihood has been negatively impacted in terms of damage to farmlands and poor crop yields,” she said, adding that the water in the area had been polluted due to incessant oil spills which have affected aquatic lives too.