Renaissance Africa Energy Co. Ltd. has suspended crude oil shipments through its Okordia-Rumuekpe pipeline in Nigeria's coastal Rivers state following a spill detected early Monday. 

The spill occurred in the Ikata community within the Ahoada East district, prompting the independent oil firm to announce a halt on Tuesday as a precautionary measure.

Volunteers from the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), an environmental group, were the first to report the incident, which disrupted the operations of the pipeline regarded as a crucial artery, transporting crude south to the Rumuekpe manifold for export via the Bonny terminal.

Renaissance, which operates the pipeline after acquiring a former Shell onshore subsidiary, has ceased production into the affected line and implemented measures to mitigate potential environmental impact, a company spokesperson said in a statement.

While Renaissance did not specify the cause or volume of the spill, YEAC-Nigeria suggested it was likely due to third-party interference. Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, a YEAC-Nigeria director, stated that volunteers observed evidence of excavation and vandalism at the spill site.

The company has notified government regulators and is collaborating with regulatory bodies and the local community on a joint investigation to determine the cause and extent of the damage.

Nigeria's oil-rich Niger River delta is frequently impacted by oil spills and pipeline vandalism, leading to significant environmental damage, harming local communities and ecosystems, and disrupting oil production.