By Progress Godfrey

ABUJA – Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has warned of an escalating environmental and public health crisis in Bille community, Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State, following persistent gas emissions reported across homes, waterways, mangroves and school grounds.

The organisation said the crisis, which residents have reported since October 2025, has contaminated groundwater, polluted the air, damaged mangroves, disrupted livelihoods and exposed residents to the risk of fire and other health hazards.

According to the Executive Director of CAPPA, Akinbode Oluwafemi, field investigations conducted on July 6, 2026, showed that residents were struggling with polluted air, contaminated water sources, health complaints and growing fears of gas ignition within their homes.

Presenting CAPPA’s documentary and report titled Bille Is Highly Flammable, in Abuja on Wednesday, Oluwafemi said government agencies had collected soil, water and gas samples from affected locations, with investigations reportedly showing elevated concentrations of methane, hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide, alongside groundwater contamination and deteriorating air quality.

“More importantly, temporary interventions do not answer the fundamental questions of what is causing these emissions? Where are they coming from? How can they be permanently stopped? And what is being done to protect the people while these questions are being answered?

“Bille deserves answers. That is why CAPPA is using this documentary not only to document the crisis, but to also stimulate action,” he said.

Oluwafemi further called for a transparent and coordinated response involving government institutions, regulators, operators, independent experts and Bille residents, while urging the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) to audit active, ageing, idle and abandoned oil and gas infrastructure in the community.

Speaking from the community’s perspective, Vice President, Bille Kingdom Youth Federation, Timothy Agunbiade, said the gas emissions were spreading to previously unaffected locations, while the resulting pollution was threatening residents’ health, fishing and the wider ecosystem.

Agunbiade also faulted the emergency response to the crisis, particularly the fire truck donated to the community, saying it didn’t tackle the root cause of the problem. He added that the terrain would make it difficult for the vehicle to reach several affected areas.

“I’m a direct victim of this thing that is on ground. And it has affected our economy. Ecologically, Bille is dead. If you catch fish in Bille, maybe if any of you will come to Bille, we will do the experiment. We’ll catch fish for you to eat. You’ll be eating kerosene,” Agunbiade said.

The youth leader noted that residents were yet to receive results from several tests conducted by government agencies and other organisations, including the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), the Ministry of Environment and the state Ministry of Environment. He also said the community had recorded about 786 bubbling spots and that several satellite communities had not been fully assessed.

Agunbiade said the immediate priority should be to stop the gas emissions before addressing the health, environmental and economic damage already suffered by the community, adding that residents needed the results of investigations and concrete action from the authorities.