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Major new inquiry into oil spills in Nigeria's Niger Delta launched

By Bukola Adebayo, CNN

Updated 0018 GMT (0818 HKT) March 27, 2019

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A sign warns people to stay off land contaminated by oil pollution.
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A sign warns people to stay off land contaminated by oil pollution.
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A deserted flow station at Kegbara-Dere, part of the Bomu manifold. Spill sites affect the Kegbara-Dere community in Gokana LGA Rivers State, Niger Delta, Nigeria.
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A deserted flow station at Kegbara-Dere, part of the Bomu manifold. Spill sites affect the Kegbara-Dere community in Gokana LGA Rivers State, Niger Delta, Nigeria.
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Spill Sites in Kegbara-Dere community in Gokana LGA Rivers State, Niger Delta, Nigeria.
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Spill Sites in Kegbara-Dere community in Gokana LGA Rivers State, Niger Delta, Nigeria.
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Contaminated land surrounds the Bomu Manifold, an oil facility at Kegbara Dere, Nigeria, years after spills occurred. Every year there are hundreds of spills in the Niger delta, but clean-ups are often slow and ineffective.
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Contaminated land surrounds the Bomu Manifold, an oil facility at Kegbara Dere, Nigeria, years after spills occurred. Every year there are hundreds of spills in the Niger delta, but clean-ups are often slow and ineffective.
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A man shows how the land is contaminated with oil pollution.
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A man shows how the land is contaminated with oil pollution.
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A man jumps across water dirtied by oil pollution in Ogoniland, Nigeria.
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A man jumps across water dirtied by oil pollution in Ogoniland, Nigeria.
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When the land is polluted by oil in this way, it makes growing crops very difficult.
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When the land is polluted by oil in this way, it makes growing crops very difficult.
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niger delta oil pollution signniger delta oil site niger delta water contam niger delta oil contam landNiger Delta oil contam land 3niger delta water contam jumpniger delta oil contam land 2

Lagos, Nigeria (CNN)A major new inquiry into oil companies operating in the Niger Delta has been launched by the Archbishop of York, John Sentamu. The probe will investigate "environmental and human damage" in Nigeria's vast oil fields.

"This Commission will investigate the human and environmental impact of multinational oil company activity and is crucial to the prosperous future of the people of Bayelsa and their environment, Nigeria and hopefully to other oil-producing nations," he said.
Nigeria is Africa's largest oil producer. The country's crude oil production -- estimated at over 300 million liters per day -- makes up 70 percent of the Nigerian government's revenue.
    This new commission, convened by Bayelsa Governor Seriake Dickson, says that it wants to make oil companies in the region more accountable.
    "The world has looked on for too long without taking the necessary collective action to put a stop to the damage being done by oil companies in Bayelsa. We must put the environment and the health and wellbeing of our communities first," Dickson said in a statement Wednesday.
    Read More
    Ken Saro-Wiwa 20 years on: Niger Delta still blighted by oil spills
    Ken Saro-Wiwa 20 years on: Niger Delta still blighted by oil spills
    Big oil spills are common in the Niger Delta where over 40 million liters of crude oil