By Oluwakemi Kindness
Nine months after a gas leak was reported in Bille Community, Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State, the incident remains active, with authorities yet to determine its exact source.
The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) disclosed this on Thursday during an interactive session with the House of Representatives Committee on the South-South Development Commission.
The agency said the gas is still bubbling from beneath the ground, threatening water sources, farming, fishing and other livelihoods in the oil-producing community.
The development has prompted the House committee to summon key government agencies, the Rivers State Government and representatives of Bille Community over the prolonged crisis.
Gas Leak Remains A Mystery
NOSDRA Director, Cyrus Nkangwung, said the leak was first reported on October 25, 2025.
He described it as an extremely rare occurrence because the gas is not emanating from any known oil installation.
“This is not a normal occurrence in the oil industry. What we are witnessing is gas bubbling directly from the ground, and investigations are still ongoing to establish the source.”
Nkangwung said investigations had so far failed to establish the exact cause of the gas leak.
He also disclosed that NOSDRA had written to President Bola Tinubu through the Minister of Environment in February, requesting about ₦3.4 billion to tackle the emergency.
Reps Raise Alarm Over Residents’ Safety
Chairman of the House Committee on the South-South Development Commission, Rep. Julius Pondi, expressed concern over the slow pace of intervention.
The committee is considering the immediate relocation of residents pending the containment of the leak.
Pondi said the situation was particularly serious because residents depend heavily on fishing, farming and other natural resources for their livelihoods.
“We shall evaluate the adequacy and timeliness of the emergency response with a view to determining whether sufficient measures were taken to protect lives, public health and the environment.”
He said the committee would also examine the environmental, health, social and economic consequences of the incident.
The lawmakers want stakeholders to provide updates on medical interventions, relief efforts, compensation, environmental remediation and ecological restoration.
‘Residents Cannot Continue To Suffer’
A member of the committee, Rep. Dumnamene Dekor, said it was unacceptable that Bille residents remained exposed to dangerous conditions months after the incident was reported.
Dekor, who chairs the House Committee on Host Communities, said oil-producing communities should not continue to bear the consequences of environmental disasters.
“Those who lay the golden eggs should not continue to suffer for producing the resources that sustain the entire country.”
He called for urgent measures to protect residents and restore the affected environment.
NUPRC: Leak Is A Novel Occurrence
A representative of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Joseph Ogunsola, described the incident as a novel occurrence in Nigeria’s petroleum industry.
He said its unusual nature had made it difficult for experts to immediately determine the volume and extent of the gas release.
Ogunsola said the NUPRC became aware of the incident in February 2026 and had been working with other agencies and stakeholders to identify the source and develop remedial measures.
Reps Demand Answers
The House committee summoned NOSDRA, NUPRC, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, the Rivers State Government, Degema Local Government Council and Bille Community representatives.
Pondi said the committee’s objective was not to apportion blame prematurely but to establish the facts, identify possible regulatory or operational lapses and ensure accountability.
“Our findings will guide appropriate legislative, regulatory and policy recommendations aimed at preventing the recurrence of similar incidents, promoting responsible resource development and strengthening institutional accountability.”
The committee said the outcome of the engagement would inform measures to protect Bille residents and address the environmental crisis.
