The House of Representatives Committee on South-South Development Commission calls for urgent, time-bound action to address a prolonged gas seepage in Bille, Rivers State, and an oil spill affecting Odidi Federated Community in Delta State. Committee Chairman Julius Pondi raises the issue during an engagement with stakeholders and a legislative hearing in Abuja.
The outlets agree that the incidents have lasted for months—gas seepage for about nine months and the Odidi spill for more than five months—affecting health, safety and the environment of communities in the Niger Delta. Nigerian Eye reports that NOSDRA confirms multiple gases in Bille, including hydrogen sulphide, methane, volatile organic compounds and carbon dioxide, with multi-point subsurface bubbling at locations such as abandoned primary and secondary school premises. It also says air-quality tests show pollutants above regulatory thresholds and laboratory results find elevated petroleum hydrocarbons in water and sediments.
Vanguard frames the issue primarily as a call for urgent intervention and comprehensive briefings. Nigerian Eye adds more detail on the investigation process and notes NOSDRA’s position that it has not established the gases’ hydrocarbon source or a specific operator, suggesting the seepage may be biogenic. The committee expects updated briefings from agencies including NUPRC and NOSDRA.
