For years, the Niger Delta region has been battling oil and gas exploration and spillage, with millions of lives being affected and farmlands destroyed.
The Niger Delta, which cuts across Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, and Rivers States in Southern Nigeria, has suffered several losses, from polluted farmlands and rivers to poor air quality.
The issue of oil spillage and gas emission from the soil is not new, as farmers lose their farms, fishermen wail in pain, and community members are inundated with sickness.
However, reports here, here and here indicated that over time, oil spillage and gas eruption has become a recurring event in the Rivers State.
Despite producing an average of 2 million barrels a day with an estimated 38 billion barrels of reserve, the region is still battling gas emissions and oil spillages.
According to the National Library of Research, fossil-fuel-related emissions account for about 65% of excess mortality globally.
A fresh call has been made by some rights groups following the recent underground hydrocarbon eruption which occurred in Bille, Rivers State.
Bille is a riverine community of the Ijaw kingdom in the Degema Local Government Area of the state.
After visiting the site on 13 June, the group, which comprises Social Action, Agape Birthrights, and the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), urged the Federal Government to act fast in addressing this issue to avoid disaster.
According to the Executive Director of Social Action, Mr. Isaac Osuoka, the issue oil emission in Bille was discovered in October 2025.
He further called for immediate government attention and intervention, flagging it as an environmental and public health emergency while seeking urgent remediation and a stronger regulatory response.
“Meaningful steps should be taken immediately to safeguard the people,” Mr. Osuoka said.
The Executive Director called on the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to take immediate leadership in addressing the situation, stressing that urgent action is needed in the interest of residents of Bille community.
Osuoka also appealed to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) to carry out a thorough investigation into the gas eruption, with the aim of finding permanent solutions to the environmental threat.
Environmental and human rights activist Ann Kio-Briggs expressed concern that the gas bubbles appearing in rivers and other water bodies in the area pose serious health hazards to inhabitants.
She noted that the matter has not received sufficient attention since it first came to light several months ago.
According to her, the situation has exposed residents to unsafe environmental conditions and escalating public health dangers.
She urged the Federal Government and relevant regulatory bodies to act swiftly to halt the eruption, ensure the provision of clean drinking water, and support the welfare and survival of affected communities.
Similarly, Mr. Datolu Sukubo, Chairman of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Eastern Zone, condemned the continued inaction of responsible agencies, describing it as unfair to the people.
He emphasized the need for a comprehensive scientific assessment to identify the cause of the gas leakage into water sources.
A representative of the Bille Clan, Depriye Igani, lamented that residents are already struggling with limited access to safe drinking water.
He added that fishing activities, which serve as a primary source of livelihood for many, have been severely affected, leading to increased hardship and hunger.
He therefore called on the Federal Government, oil companies, and regulatory agencies to urgently step in and implement lasting solutions to the crisis.