Civils Society Organisation (CSOs), Community and Youth representatives, in Bille Community, Degema local government area of Rivers State have warned that they would shutdown oil facilities in the community, if the federal government and its agencies continue to ignore the life threatening gas leak in the community.
The groups expressed disappointment that several months after gas eruptions was witnessed at several points in the community, threatening the people with fire and other hazards, neither the government nor any of its agencies has deemed it fit to take concrete steps to arrest the gas leak.
They gave the warning at the weekend during an emergency community/civil parliament on the Bille hydrocarbon eruption, titled: “From Outrage to Action: A People’s Parliament for Environmental Accountability.”
The parliament was organised by some Civil Society Organisations, rights groups, and the Ijaw Youth Council, Eastern Zone under the aegis of the People’s Assembly.
Some of the participating groups include Social Action, Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre, Chikoko Movement, Civil Rights Action, MiiDeekor, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), the IYC Eastern Zone, and others who toured several spots in Bille where gas was seen bubbling from the ground, water, and private water wells.
Addressing the parliament, IYC Chairman, Eastern Zone, Datolu Sukubo, said the Federal Government has failed to intervene in the Bille gas leaks since October last year and accused NNPCL and oil companies of avoiding responsibility.
He threatened direct action if the government fails to act saying; “We clearly understand that the oil companies are trying to absolve themselves because they feel there is no equipment failure, or no direct gas or crude oil leakage, that is why they are reluctant”.
He warned ; “If the people right now say they want to shut down OML 24, and by extension OML 18 operations, the NNPC will immediately react because they know they are going to lose a lot of revenue in just one day. But they have not reacted to this situation since October last year.
“If the government doesn’t declare a state of emergency on this Bille situation, they should prepare to bring all their armies to come and shoot us at the platforms,” he warned.
Convener of the People’s Assembly and Executive Director of Social Action, Isaac Osuoka, in his address urged the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in Bille because the uncontained gas eruptions constitute serious risks to the lives of residents of the riverrine community.
He added: “We have been calling on the relevant authorities to swing into action, but if the neglect continues, after months of several reports, we will be forced to take action that will drag the Federal Government down to Bille.
We will shut down all operations of the IOCs within our area to ensure that they come to stop this danger.”
“Today, we see how delay creates emergency. All over this town, even as you approach from the water, you begin to see gas bubbling everywhere. We see gas eruptions everywhere. We see hydrocarbon eruptions everywhere,” Osuoka said.
He stated that all groundwater in Bille has been “totally and completely polluted,” destroying fish, aquatic life, and the traditional livelihoods of residents.
Osuoka faulted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who also serves as Minister of Petroleum, for failing to protect the Niger Delta.
“The President has failed. The Federal Government has failed. President Tinubu appointed himself Petroleum Minister with the responsibility to protect the interests of Nigeria and Nigerians, including the lands. But Bille Kingdom is not protected.”
He specifically named the Nigerian Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, (NOSDRA) and its Director-General, Emeka Woke, for inaction. “NOSDRA came here to do tests. They did air tests, water tests, soil tests, and they have lied that the air quality in Bille is safe.”
Osuoka also criticized the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, chaired by Senator Magnus Abe saying, “Up till now, NUPRC has not done anything. They have done nothing to respond to the emergency in Bille.
There is a health crisis in Bille. People are at risk of death. This àcommunity can burn down any day, but NUPRC has not responded.”
He added that the Federal Ministry of Health, Ministry of Water Resources, and emergency agencies “have done nothing in Bille,” describing the situation as an outrage.
On her part, Niger Delta activist, Ankio Briggs, described the scene as “terrible” and urged the President and all those responsible to tackle the leakages not to politicize the crisis.
“We’ve gone round Bille community and we’ve seen things for ourselves. I cannot tell you how terrible it is because I’m not a scientist, I’m just a human being, but you don’t need to be told that something terrible is happening here in Bille.
“It is the first time I’m seeing gas following from an outlet. Because gas is air, so anywhere there is air, the gas is following it. Anywhere there is water, including the drinking well, the gas is bubbling,” Briggs said.
She noted that residents lack safe drinking water and called on Degema’s representatives at the State and National Assemblies to “do their job and speak out for their people.”
King of Bille Kingdom, His Majesty Igbikingeri Herbert, who spoke through Alabo Napoleon Hezekiah, Secretary, Land Health and Environment Committee, Bille Council of Chiefs, thanked the CSOs and IYC for their concerns and demanded immediate federal action.
“The environment is highly polluted, the air quality is bad, the water quality is bad, all parameters are above permissible level. I’m saying the President and Federal Government should act now and not sleep on the situation in Bille Kingdom.”
He faulted the NNPCL’s deployment of a single fire truck as inadequate.
“The fire truck is good, but because of the compactness of the roads here in Bille, the fire truck cannot find its way into the pathways in the communities. We need fire extinguishers and other fire appliances in the various communities for emergencies.”
On long-term solutions, he reiterated the call for evacuation of the people and urged the government to “build gas plants in Bille and commingle the gas into a gas plant to generate energy.
The people will also be gainfully engaged and our youths will have jobs,” he said.
Women Leader of the community, Nene Akinda, said women bear the brunt of the crisis.
“We are suffering a lot from this situation. Women are the most hit as we can no longer go about our business, fishing. We are also suffering health challenges,” she said.
“Our children and us now only depend on sachet water and bottled water for drinking, and we find it difficult to buy because there is no money. We appeal to the government to come to our aid.”
Residents and activists displayed placards with inscriptions such as “Bille is on Fire”; “The gas bubbles are not decorations, they are poison”; “No fishing, No farming, no livelihood,” and “FG, NOSDRA, get the oil companies to stop the gas pollution”; among others.
