A Warri-based legal practitioner, Owen Nanakumoh, has formally petitioned the Delta State Area Manager of the Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) over the continued night-time navigation of large vessels owned by Sterling Oil Exploration & Energy Production Company Limited (SEEPCO) on the Ramos River, alleging that such operations have led to fatal incidents and severe hardship in host communities.
Acting on behalf of the Egrangbene Federated Communities in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, Nanakumoh raised grave concerns regarding SEEPCO’s alleged disregard for safety regulations and the welfare of residents. In the petition, he asserted that the nighttime activities of SEEPCO’s vessels have resulted in numerous accidents, near-misses, and what he described as “inhuman experiences” for the local population.
He noted that communities adversely affected include Egrangbene, Abadarama, Ekumugbene, Ekogbene, Ebeberegbene, Egolegbene, Ayama, Kantele/Odisgbene, Youmugbene, Etorozibagbene, Dambodou-Ama, Torou-Egrangbene, Tamorekogbene, Gesiam, Tarekiri, Ayalogbene, Daufakere-Oba, Tama-Egrangbene, Dwamatibo, Ebikemegbene, Ebilade, and Beinmou-Ama. These communities, according to Nanakumoh, have suffered significant damage to lives, livelihoods, and infrastructure as a result of SEEPCO’s nightly operations.
The lawyer lamented that the narrowness of the Ramos River, particularly during the rainy season, compounded by night dews, fog, and harmattan, makes night navigation extremely hazardous. He further alleged that SEEPCO vessels have collided with buildings and jetties, leading to their destruction.
Nanakumoh detailed how the night operations have led to miscarriages, child fatalities, and the destruction of fishing equipment, such as nets, traps, and canoes. He stressed that the primary victims are women, children, and fishermen who operate at night.
He accused SEEPCO of ignoring multiple appeals to halt its night movements, and claimed that the oil firm’s security operatives, acting under management directives, have subjected local residents to intimidation and mistreatment.
Additionally, the petition alleges that SEEPCO has flagrantly violated NIWA’s prohibition on night sailing, as established by the NIWA Act and various federal gazettes, operating with what it claims to be NIWA’s approval. Nanakumoh, however, dismissed this justification, stating that no company should be allowed to operate above the law at the expense of citizens’ lives and safety.
The petition referenced a civil protest staged by affected communities on March 22, 2025, which led to the intervention of the Joint Task Force (JTF), South-South Operations Delta Safe, at Igbogene, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. At the meeting, SEEPCO reportedly defended its actions by citing authorization from NIWA—a claim the communities firmly reject.
“In view of SEEPCO’s persistent and deliberate violation of existing laws, its refusal to heed regulatory warnings, and the daily endangerment of lives and property, this petition has become imperative,” Nanakumoh stated.
