By Edu Abade
In their determination to end decades of environmental infractions, exacerbated by diseases, untimely deaths and loss of livelihoods, impacted host communities of Akwa Ibom State have commenced the process of kicking out International Oil Companies (IOCs) from their domain.
The oil and gas polluted communities in the Niger Delta and environmental experts have lamented that the life expectancy in the region has dropped to between 40 and 47 years, which is 15 years lower than the national average.
This was established at a townhall meeting organized by Community Development Advocacy Foundation (CODAF) with Eket and Ibeno community members in Akwa Ibom State on May 30, 2026 on the sidelines of the Africa Week of Action with the theme: “Kick Polluters Out of Nigeria.”
The meeting highlighted the environmental, health and economic impacts of the IOCs in the state, accusing companies like Total Energies, ExxonMobil, and Seplat Energy Plc of perpetuating pollution under the guise of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
They argued that the Federal Government was complicit in sustaining the plights of the host communities as it response to oil spills had remained ineffective for decades, while also citing corruption, evasion of responsibility and lack of accountability on the part of the government and the oil firms.
Project Manager of CODAF, Endurance Oriakhogba, attributed the 15-year gap directly to the cumulative effects of hydrocarbon pollution, including contaminated water sources, respiratory diseases from gas flaring, and destruction of agricultural livelihoods.
“In August 2024, over 27 coastal communities in Ibeno Local Government Area were heavily impacted by a major spill allegedly linked to an international oil company’s offshore facility.
The spill severely polluted local water bodies and disrupted fishing activities.
“France officially banned the granting of new exploration licenses and aims to phase out all active extraction operations by 2040.
Total Energies is a French owned multinational integrated energy and petroleum company. France is banning domestic extraction, but not French-owned extraction abroad.”
Also speaking at the meeting, a youth leader of Eket community, Honour Michael criticized the Nigerian government’s response to oil spill incidents.
He asserted that the government has “turned a deaf ear” to the cries of impacted communities, a situation he stressed is due to compromise and corruption within regulatory bodies.
He equally noted that compensation payments are rarely made and when they are, they do not reach the affected individuals, thus leaving communities without legal or institutional recourse.
Another community member, Asan Ekong raised a specific, urgent observation regarding Seplat Energy Plc, noting that Seplat has recently begun removing its insignia (logos and branding) from its projects and staff uniforms within the community.
He interpreted this as a potential tactic to reduce accountability or to psychologically distance the corporation from the visible environmental damage. Mr. Ekong further accused IOCs of fueling corruption among community leaders and government officials, thereby neutralizing internal resistance.
The community resolved to take action, proposing a strategic roadmap to kick polluters out including legal action as in filing class-action lawsuits against IOCs and economic pressure that would ensure a total boycott of IOC services and pressuring commercial banks.
Other proposed actions are legislative advocacy by petitioning the National Assembly to revoke licenses, international solidarity by submitting a complaint to the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur and independent monitoring to establish a functional community pollution register.
The town hall meeting concluded with a resolution for Eket and Ibeno communities to move away from passive victims to active litigants and advocates, just as CODAF committed to supporting a non-violent, legal and economic “Kick Out” campaign against polluters.
The communities also resolved that the removal of IOC insignia (as observed with Seplat Energy) will be met with increased scrutiny, as against decreased vigilance.
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