By Emmanuel Nduka
Residents of Ofiomina-Ama in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State took to the streets in April 2026, protesting what they described as a “genocidal” oil wellhead fire at Alakiri Well 9 that has raged unchecked for more than two years.
According to community accounts, the blaze began on February 26, 2024, following a failure in infrastructure supervised by NNPC Limited, igniting a fire on the river that has continued to burn for over 24 months without containment.
Heritage Times HT reports that the prolonged inferno has devastated the local ecosystem, with residents saying oil spills and intense heat have wiped out fishing waters and farmlands which stands as their primary sources of livelihood, plunging the community into hunger and economic hardship.
Youths and elders in the area have accused NNPC Limited of gross negligence, alleging that repeated letters and appeals to authorities have been ignored while the disaster worsens daily.
Beyond economic losses, residents say the fire has created a public health emergency, as thick plumes of black smoke blanket the community, raising fears of respiratory illnesses and long-term environmental damage.
During the protest, demonstrators demanded the immediate extinguishing of the fire, full compensation for affected families, and urgent remediation of the polluted environment. They warned that failure to act could force them to halt crude oil barging activities in the area.
Environmental advocacy group Health of Mother Earth Foundation has also raised concerns over the incident, describing it as part of a broader pattern of environmental crises across the Niger Delta and calling for swift government intervention to avert further catastrophe.
