Nigeria spill said to spread 'for miles'

Spreading: Nigeria spill of unknown origin said to spread 'for miles'

AFP

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News Wires

 31 August 2012 18:12 GMT

An oil spill near an ExxonMobil oilfield off the south-east coast of Nigeria has reportedly spread along the shore for about 15 miles, and locals said it was killing fish they depend on to live.

Mobil Producing Nigeria, a joint venture between ExxonMobil and the state oil firm, said this month it was helping clean up an oil spill near its Ibeno field in Akwa Ibom state, though it did not know the source of the oil.

A Reuters reporter saw that water along the coast was covered with a rainbow-tinted film of oil for miles.

ExxonMobil officials in Nigeria and in Houston could not immediately be reached to provide comment.

Oil spills are common in Nigeria, where enforcement of environmental regulations is lax and armed gangs…

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