The Pilex Centre for Civic Education Initiative has called for the urgent evacuation of residents in unsafe areas of Bille community, Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State, and an independent investigation into the ongoing gas seepage in the community.
The organisation made the demand following the death of Miss Joy Amos, a resident of Bille who reportedly sustained severe burns in a gas-related explosion.
The call was contained in a statement signed by the Coordinator/Director of the Pilex Centre for Civic Education Initiative, Rivers State, Courage Nsirimovu, Esq., and issued in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
Nsirimovu said the situation in Bille had gone beyond an environmental concern, describing it as a serious threat to human life.
He said reports and independent assessments had documented persistent gas seepage in the community since 2025, including concerns over methane and other gases, contamination of water sources and the risk of fire and explosion.
According to him, the organisation recently visited Bille and observed what it described as the impact of the continuing gas seepage on residents, homes, water sources, the environment and livelihoods.
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“Gas has continued to escape from several locations within the community, creating conditions in which the slightest spark can potentially trigger a fire or explosion,” he said.
Nsirimovu said reports of a fire incident in May 2026, allegedly linked to gas leaks, had heightened concerns among residents and prompted calls for temporary relocation.
He said the death of Amos required a transparent and independent medical investigation, stressing that Pilex Centre was not at that stage of establishing that gas exposure caused her death.
“While we do not, at this stage, claim that the gas exposure caused her death, the circumstances demand a transparent and independent medical investigation,” he said.
The organisation called on the Rivers State Government, in collaboration with relevant Federal Government authorities, to conduct an autopsy on Amos to establish the cause and circumstances of her death.
Pilex also urged the Rivers State Government, Federal Government, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission and relevant operators and agencies to conduct a comprehensive safety assessment of Bille.
It said residents in areas scientifically determined to be unsafe should be temporarily relocated until the source of the gas seepage was identified, the leakage contained and the affected environment certified safe for habitation.
The organisation further called for an urgent scientific investigation into the composition, concentration, toxicity and potential health effects of the gases reportedly escaping in the community.
Other demands include the provision of safe drinking water, healthcare and emergency firefighting capacity; comprehensive environmental and health impact assessments; investigation into reported deaths, injuries, illnesses and property damage; and accountability by responsible operators and relevant regulatory authorities.
Pilex also called for continuous gas monitoring and public disclosure of monitoring results to enable residents to understand the level of risk in their environment.
The organisation noted that a Federal Government delegation had visited Bille in July 2026 and promised measures including the provision of potable water, healthcare and firefighting support.
It urged authorities to move from assurances to what it described as decisive action to protect residents.
“Bille is not merely an oil-producing community. It is a community of human beings whose lives, homes, families, livelihoods and future are at stake,” Nsirimovu said.
He called for what he described as a shift from crisis management to life-saving intervention, environmental justice and accountability, urging authorities to prevent the situation from escalating into a wider humanitarian crisis.
