Port Harcourt, Nigeria — Residents of oil-producing communities in the Niger Delta are unknowingly consuming contaminated seafood and polluted water due to decades of crude oil pollution, environmental and gender rights advocate, Constance Meju, has warned.
Meju said the persistent environmental damage in the region has gone beyond degradation, as toxic substances have now entered the food chain, exposing millions of people to long-term health risks.
> “If you eat fresh fish in this state, you’re eating oil,” she said. “If you eat shrimp and other seafood, you have been eating crude oil.”
She made the remarks during the Dinner Night of the Correspondents’ Week organised by the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Port Harcourt, with support from Nigeria LNG Limited, Renaissance Africa Energy Company, and Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre.
The event was themed: “The Imperatives of Comprehensive Cleanup of the Niger Delta Environment: Role of the Media.”
Oil Pollution Entering Food Chain
Meju lamented that continuous oil spills have severely contaminated the aquatic ecosystem, making seafood harvested in affected communities unsafe for consumption.
She also criticised existing oil spill response mechanisms, stating they fall far below international standards and leave host communities exposed to environmental and health hazards.
According to her, weak enforcement and inadequate cleanup efforts have allowed pollution to persist unchecked for years, worsening living conditions in oil-producing areas.
Call for Stronger Media Advocacy
The environmentalist urged journalists to intensify investigative reporting on oil pollution and play a stronger role in holding multinational oil companies accountable.
> “This is the best position to do the necessary advocacy because journalists are the ones they listen to,” she said.
She also warned that rising poverty linked to environmental degradation has created dependency challenges among youths in affected communities.
Media and Stakeholder Reactions
Speaking at the event, the National Vice President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Mr. Opaka Dokubo, cautioned that political distractions could undermine environmental remediation efforts if media pressure weakens.
He called for sustained advocacy through structured engagements such as policy dialogues and environmental symposiums.
Also speaking, Rivers State NUJ Secretary, Dr. Ijeoma Tubosia, stressed the need for consistent environmental reporting to influence public policy and accountability.
The event ended with renewed calls for stronger enforcement of environmental regulations, improved cleanup operations, and sustained media engagement to address the long-term impacts of oil pollution in the Niger Delta.
