The Nigerian Navy on Friday said it had mobilised its men and ship to the scene of the massive oil spill reported in Bonga, close to Lagos last week.Specifically, the Nigerian Naval Ship, NNS Zaria, our correspondent gathered, had been deployed in Bonga Oil Field to assist officials of the National Oil Spill, Detention and Response Agency currently on the site to clean up the spill.Oil leak resulting from operational hazard had forced Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company to shut down its 200,000 barrel per-day Bonga deepwater field, approximately 120 kilometres off the Nigerian coast.Experts said Shell might be losing about $21.47m daily on account of the shutdown, which they feared could affect the international price of crude oil in the coming days.The leakage reportedly occurred on Tuesday from an export line during the transfer of crude oil from Bongas floating production, storage and off-loading, vessel to a waiting oil tanker in the same area.Speaking with some journalists in Warri, the Naval authorities said they responded immediately they were informed of the spill, adding that they also assisted in conveying NOSDRA officials from Warri, Delta State to Bonga Oil Field which is about 65 Nautical miles (130 kilometers) off the coast of NNS, Delta.The Commanding Officer, NNS Delta, Cdr. Bum Kor, while receiving officers and men of the command, who had assisted NOSDRA officials to Bonga, said the move was part of their statutory obligations to render assistance to government agencies in need of the Navy to operate effectively.Kor said, Immediately we were informed of the spill at Bonga Oil Field which is about 65 nautical miles (130km) off our coast and within NNS Delta area of responsibility, we immediately mandated the Commanding Officer, NNS Zaria, Captain F.O Isaac, to convey NOSDRA officials to the place.He said that the Navy would continue to monitor the exercise, saying the immediate deployment of the vessel was necessary in line with its statutory role.Deputy Director and Head of NOSDRA, Warri Zonal office, Mr. Bunmi Akindele, lauded the navy for the supportive role in curtailing the oil spillage.Shell also said the company had deployed satellite imagery and vessels in the zone to monitor the movement of the spill which was said to have neared Akwa Ibom, Delta and a few other neighbouring states away from the Atlantic Ocean.Shells Country Chairman, Mutiu Sunmonu, had also said the company had deployed two aircraft and multiple seaborne vessels to survey and spray dispersants in the affected areas, said to be the largest spill in 12 years.However, one of our correspondents gathered that there was palpable apprehension among the fishermen along the coast line in the affected states. They were also said to be mobilising to withdraw from the areas until the clean-up is completed.Meanwhile, the Minister of Environment, Mrs. Hadiza Ibrahim Mailafia, has said it will take six weeks to address the effects of the Bonga oil spill and clean up the spills.She said this on Saturday in Lagos while addressing newsmen after a visit to the Bonga facility by the joint team of the ministry, Shell, NOSDRA, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Customs Service and other technical partners.According to Mailafia, there will be a thorough investigation into the cause(s) of the spill by the technical partners, adding that the investigation will be in the interest of the country, the operator (Shell), and the technical partners.A statement by Shell said she commended the company for the quick response to the challenge and for accurate provision of data.She said currently, there were seven vessels, two aircraft and two helicopters working in surveillance to put the situation under control.We dont anticipate that the spill will hit the shores, but for the clean-up to be effective, we will need six weeks. This is because the waters arent still waters. They move with the oil, she noted.Shell, in the statement, said it had continued to apply dispersants and had begun skimming operations to further reduce the oil leak.According to the company, current estimates based on overflights indicate less than 10,000 barrels of oil remain on the surface of the water.Although oil from the Bonga leak has not reached the shore, the company continues shoreline preparations in cooperation with the community, the statement indicated.The minister, the Director-General, NOSDRA, Sir Peter Idabor, and the Deputy Director, NIMASA, Captain Warredi Enisuoh, flew offshore to review clean-up efforts in response to the Bonga oil leak.Sunmonu, said, It is important for these senior government officials to see our cleanup efforts for themselves.Also, the Chairman, Senate Committee on the Environment and Ecology, Senator Bukola Saraki, on Saturday in Ilorin, Kwara State, said the Senate would ensure that Shell adopted globally accepted best practices in the Bonga oil spill clean-up.He stated that the committee would soon visit the site for an on-the-spot assessment, as part of the oversight functions of the committee.He spoke after attending a meeting of the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party.
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