Civil society organisations (CSOs), environmental experts, and Niger Delta activists have called on the Federal Government to urgently declare a state of emergency in Bille Kingdom in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State over what they describe as a rapidly worsening environmental disaster threatening lives and livelihoods.
The groups made the demand on Saturday after an on-the-spot assessment of the affected coastal community, where gas has reportedly been seeping and bubbling from the ground and water bodies for several months, contaminating drinking water sources and disrupting daily survival activities.
Leading the delegation, the Executive Director of Social Action, Isaac Osuoka, said the situation in Bille had reached a critical point, warning that continued government silence could result in further environmental and health risks for residents.
He said water wells and rivers relied upon by locals for drinking and domestic use had remained polluted for over six months, despite repeated calls for intervention from relevant authorities.
“As we moved through the community, we saw gas bubbling from the ground and across water surfaces. The wells people depend on are already contaminated. This has been ongoing for more than six months, and it is unacceptable that there has been no decisive government response,” Osuoka said.
He expressed concern over the alleged inactivity of regulatory agencies in the petroleum sector, noting that visits and assurances had not translated into concrete remediation efforts.
According to him, the terrain of the community also raises fears of a possible disaster response challenge in the event of fire outbreaks, given its riverine nature and limited emergency access.
Osuoka warned that the situation had gone beyond routine environmental concern, describing it as an urgent threat requiring immediate federal intervention and emergency declaration.
He added that residents were increasingly frustrated and could resort to stronger actions if their survival continued to be ignored.
Prominent Niger Delta activist, Ann-Kio Briggs, who also visited the community, described the situation as alarming, saying visible gas emissions and water disturbances clearly indicated a serious environmental hazard.
She noted that the effects were visible across air, land, and water, stressing that the area appeared unsafe for human habitation.
Briggs criticised what she described as the slow response from federal authorities, particularly agencies responsible for petroleum regulation and environmental safety, saying affected communities had been left without adequate support.
She also questioned the effectiveness of ongoing relief measures, arguing that such interventions were insufficient while residents lacked access to clean water and basic necessities.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Ijaw Youth Council (Eastern Zone), Datolu Sukubo, condemned what he called government negligence, insisting that the scale of the environmental damage required immediate scientific assessment and long-term remediation.
He lamented the absence of comprehensive studies to determine the cause and spread of the gas seepage, warning that the continued delay could worsen both environmental and health conditions in the area.
Declare Environmental Emergency in Rivers Community Over Worsening Gas Leak Crisis — CSOs, Activists Urge FG
