Months after a crude oil spill devastated Tein in Biseni Kingdom, Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, residents are now facing what many describe as a second wave of destruction after fire swept through the already polluted area, leaving behind a scorched landscape and a dead lake.
When environmental monitors led by Comrade Alagoa Morris recently returned to the community, what they encountered was a haunting silence. The usual sounds of life from crickets, insects, and aquatic movement had disappeared completely, replaced by an unsettling stillness that stretched across the creeks.
The ground told its own story. Leaves that should have been green had turned brittle underfoot, cracking like dried shells. Trees that once formed part of a thriving ecosystem now stood dark and lifeless, their branches stretched upward like burnt remains of what once was a living forest.
The crisis traces back to around December 2025, when a pipeline operated by Oando, in an area previously managed by Shell and Agip, ruptured along the Assamabiri OB OB right of way. Crude oil reportedly gushed into the environment, spreading into surrounding vegetation and flowing directly into Fadino, also known as Fazino Lake.
Months later, on May 20, 2026, residents reported seeing thick smoke rising from the same location, signaling that fire had broken out in the already damaged environment. For many in the community, it marked a devastating escalation of an already unresolved disaster.
During a visit to the site on May 28, Ijaw Youth Council Biseni clan secretary, Aye Preye, led journalists and monitors from the Environmental Conservation, Agriculture and Rural Development group back to the affected area. He described the situation as heartbreaking, alleging that efforts were being made to erase visible traces of the damage.
“They are trying to erase the evidence, but they cannot burn away the pain,” he said during the visit.
Earlier inspections by environmental monitors in February 2026 had already raised concerns. Although Oando reportedly clamped the damaged section of the pipeline, observers noted that no effective containment measures were put in place. There were no protective barriers on the water and no visible materials used to prevent further spread of the crude oil. As a result, the pollution continued to seep into surrounding fish ponds and mangrove roots.
One of the monitors, Comrade Morris, described the response as inadequate, saying it gave little assurance of environmental responsibility or long term protection for the affected ecosystem.
“It was as if they did the bare minimum and walked away,” he said, expressing concern over the lack of sustained intervention.
For the people of Biseni Kingdom, who depend heavily on their natural environment for survival, the damage cuts deep. The community, made up of thirteen settlements, relies on the surrounding lakes and creeks for fishing and farming. These same waters, once rich with tilapia and catfish, now carry visible traces of oil pollution, while farmlands that once produced cassava and plantain have been heavily stained and rendered unsafe for use.
