Prof. Ugbomeh.
A Professor of Rivers State University (RSU), Adaobi Patricia Ugbomeh, has raised fresh concerns over the effectiveness of environmental remediation efforts in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, saying soil samples from some officially remediated sites still contain dangerous levels of hydrocarbon contamination.
Ugbomeh, who spoke during the 137th Inaugural Lecture of the university in Port Harcourt last Wednesday, disclosed that her research team conducted a post-remediation assessment of sites in Eleme in 2025, which led to the conclusion.
The lecture, titled “Samples Tell A Story: Challenges and Impact of Pollution on the Niger Delta Aquatic Environment,” examined the persistent environmental consequences of pollution in the Niger Delta and the need for evidence-based approaches to environmental restoration.
According to the professor, the research team assessed Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) in soil samples collected at different depths from sites remediated under the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP).
She said while one of the sites recorded TPH concentrations below the regulatory target, two others were only partially remediated, with soil samples showing contamination levels significantly above the 50mg/kg target value formerly used by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).
“Of particular concern was the increase in TPH concentrations with depth at one of the sites, suggesting continued downward migration of hydrocarbons,” she said.
Professor Ugbomeh said the findings demonstrated that environmental restoration could not be judged solely on the basis of administrative certification, stressing that successful remediation must ultimately be reflected in the condition of the environment.
She noted that, in the case of the Eleme sites studied, soil samples continued to provide evidence of contamination despite official cleanup efforts.
“The post-remediation assessment of crude oil-polluted sites in Eleme exposed a dangerous gap between administratively certified environmental recovery and the reality revealed by soil samples, where Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons concentrations continued to exceed regulatory targets long after official cleanup declarations,” she said.
The professor called for greater reliance on scientific monitoring and post-remediation assessments to determine the actual effectiveness of environmental cleanup programmes, particularly in communities that have endured prolonged oil pollution.
Professor Ugbomeh stressed that environmental samples remain critical evidence in determining whether polluted ecosystems have truly recovered, warning that certification without sustained scientific verification could leave communities exposed to lingering contaminants.