Federal High Court Orders Heritage Energy to Halt Uzere Oil Spill and Begin Cleanup

The Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has ordered Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited, operator of Oil Mining Lease 30, to halt the continuing discharge of crude oil and gas from Well 14 in Uzere, Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State.

The Order

Justice Adamu Turaki Mohammed issued the ruling in Suit No. FHC/PH/CS/132/2026, following an application filed on behalf of HRM Udogri Isaac I, Chairman of the Uzere Traditional Council, representing the Uzere Kingdom. The court directed the defendants and anyone acting on their behalf to stop the ongoing spillage pending determination of the substantive motion. It further ordered Heritage Energy and the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, the second respondent, to mobilise resources to clean up the impacted site and protect the environment.

Compliance Timeline

The judge extended the compliance window from an initially proposed seven days to fourteen, directing the defendants to submit an interim compliance report to the court within that period. Counsel for the applicant told the court that prior notices to the defendants over the environmental degradation had already been served, and representatives for the defendants indicated that discussions between the parties had been constructive, raising no objection to the application.

Background to the Spill

The spill, reportedly caused by equipment failure, began on 27 June 2026 and has continued for weeks, destroying farmlands, contaminating water sources, and displacing families in the Uzere community. The OML 30 Petroleum Industry Act Board had earlier issued a 72-hour ultimatum to Heritage Energy to submit a cleanup action plan, following a joint inspection with community stakeholders. Environmental groups, including the Environmental Defenders Network, had also called for urgent government and corporate intervention, citing prolonged humanitarian and ecological harm to the area.

Community Reaction

The ruling was welcomed by residents, with a community representative describing it as a significant step toward protecting livelihoods and the environment in one of Nigeria's oil-producing communities. Legal observers say the order reinforces the accountability obligations placed on oil operators under the Petroleum Industry Act and existing environmental protection frameworks, particularly around timely response to spill incidents in host communities.

Why It Matters

The case adds to a growing body of Nigerian jurisprudence holding oil companies to strict remediation timelines, an area of continuing relevance given the frequency of pipeline and wellhead incidents across the Niger Delta.