Shell reports oil spill in Nigeria after saver pit overflows

YENAGOA, Nigeria, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Shell reported an oil spill on Tuesday at Ogale, near Port Harcourt, after a saver pit overflowed during flushing operations in the Niger delta region.

The oil major's Nigeria business said its spill response team contained the overflow and informed authorities.

It added that arrangements were being made for a regulator-led joint visit to determine the cause and impact of the spill, a Shell spokesperson said in a statement.

Decades of oil spills have blighted Nigeria's Niger River delta region, causing widespread environmental damage that has destroyed the livelihood of millions in the local communities and impacted their health.

Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) said the spill occurred after an underground pit filled with crude started flowing to a pipeline that separates an area of the Ogoni cleanup project.

(Reporting by Tife Owolabi Writing by Chijioke Ohuocha Editing by David Goodman and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)

Shell