Residents of Bille Community in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State on Saturday June 13, 2026 staged a peaceful protest over a disturbing environmental crisis triggered by gas bubbling from the ground and water bodies in the area.
The Protesters say the situation, which has lasted over six months, has polluted their drinking water sources, destroyed fishing grounds, and crippled other activities, putting their lives and livelihoods at serious risk.
Dr. Isaac Osuoka, Convener of the People’s Assembly and Executive Director of Social Action, described the development as an emergency that has been ignored by relevant authorities despite repeated appeals.
“We have an emergency situation in Bille. As we move around the community, we see gas bubbling from beneath the earth and even on the waters everywhere. The water wells that people depend on for drinking are already polluted,” Osuoka said.
He expressed fears of a possible fire outbreak due to the widespread presence of the gas, noting that the phenomenon has severely affected the community’s ecosystem and means of survival.
Chairman of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Eastern Zone, Mr. Datolu Sokubo, accused authorities of reluctance to tackle the crisis. He called for an urgent comprehensive subsidence study to ascertain if prolonged oil and gas exploration activities have caused underground geological changes.
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“The relevant agencies know what they should do immediately. But they have failed since October last year,” Sokubo said.
The Youth Leader threatened that the people from the community may resort to self help to drive home their demands if the government refuses to come to their aid.
Environmental rights advocate, Mrs. Ann-Kio Briggs while describing the situation as frightening, pointed out that gas bubbles are visible in wells, gutters, rivers, and several parts of the community.
“I’m worried that fire can break out anytime. We have the NNPC. The President of the country is the Petroleum Minister. There are so many arms of the NNPC that should have come here to tell the people of the Niger Delta what is happening,” she said.
She questioned why the representative of Bille Community at the state house of Assembly, the Federal House of Representatives and the Senate chose to be quiet and indifferent about the sufferings of the people for over six months that this environmental issue began.
A resident, Mr. Emmanuel Owaneme, said the visible signs of the gas emission started around November 2025, adding that the pollution has devastated aquatic resources and threatened the survival of families who rely on fishing and farming.
The Community leaders called on the Federal Government, the Rivers State Government, and oil companies operating in the area to immediately intervene by assessing the situation, providing alternative water sources, and implementing measures to prevent a potential disaster.
