Environmental Crisis Worsens in Rivers Community, Groups Demand Federal Intervention

A coalition of civil society organisations and environmental activists has intensified its call on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in Bille Kingdom, located in the Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State. This urgent appeal comes on the heels of a devastating environmental crisis that has plagued the community for several months, with gas bubbling from the earth and contaminating water sources. The Executive Director of Social Action, Isaac Osuoka, recently led a team of journalists on a tour of the affected areas, highlighting the severity of the situation. Osuoka expressed deep concern over the heavy pollution of rivers and water wells, which has been ongoing for over six months despite repeated pleas for government intervention. 'The situation is an emergency that threatens the lives of residents in Bille Kingdom,' he stated. 'Gas is bubbling from beneath the earth and on the water everywhere, and the water wells that people depend on for drinking are already polluted.' The visit sparked protests from Bille residents, who displayed placards to draw attention to their plight. Some of the placards read: 'Our mangroves are gone, our water polluted', 'No farming, no fishing, no livelihood anymore in Bille', and 'The gas bubbles are not decorations, they are poison.' Osuoka lamented the inaction of relevant government agencies, including the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission. He warned of the risk of a fire outbreak, which could be exacerbated by the community's riverine terrain. Prominent Niger Delta activist Ann-Kio Briggs also toured the community and described the situation as 'terrible'. Briggs expressed fears of a possible fire outbreak and criticised the delay by the Federal Government in addressing the crisis. 'We have a President who is the substantive Petroleum Minister, and there are many NNPCL officials who should have come here to tell the people of the Niger Delta what is happening,' she stated. Briggs questioned the provision of palliatives to residents while they still lacked access to safe drinking water. Chairman of the Ijaw Youth Council, Eastern Zone, Datolu Sukubo, echoed the demands for government intervention and accused the authorities of negligence. Sukubo also criticised the lack of a comprehensive environmental study to determine the extent of the damage and its impact on residents' lives and livelihoods.