By Gift ChapiOdekina, Abuja The House of Representatives Committee on South-South Development Commission has called for urgent action to address the prolonged gas seepage in Bille Community, Rivers State, and the oil spill affecting Odidi Federated Community in Delta State. Chairman of the committee, Hon. Julius Pondi, made the call on Thursday during a stakeholders’ engagement on the Bille gas seepage and a legislative hearing on the Odidi oil spill in Abuja. Pondi said the incidents had exposed residents of the two oil-producing communities to prolonged environmental and economic challenges, stressing that affected communities deserved concrete interventions rather than prolonged investigations. He said the committee’s concern over the Bille incident intensified following its July 30, 2026 engagement with the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), where it learnt that the gas seepage had persisted for about nine months. “The implications are serious. Beyond the potential risks to health, safety and the environment, the incident has imposed severe economic hardship on the people of Bille,” Pondi said. He noted that Bille, a predominantly fishing community, had experienced disruptions to livelihoods, food security, household incomes and education as a result of the incident. “It is unacceptable for an incident of this magnitude to persist for so long without a clear, time-bound and effective resolution strategy,” he said. Pondi said the stakeholders’ meeting was convened to establish the facts surrounding the seepage, assess interventions so far, identify obstacles and agree on practical and time-bound measures to address the situation. He said the committee expected detailed briefings from operating companies, NUPRC, NOSDRA and other relevant agencies on the cause, extent and current status of the seepage. The lawmaker added that representatives of Bille Community would also present their concerns and outline the relief and interventions required. “Most importantly, we want to move from prolonged discussion to concrete action and lasting resolution,” he said. On the Odidi oil spill, Pondi said the committee would conduct a legislative hearing to determine when the spill occurred and was reported, its cause, containment measures taken, extent of environmental damage, status of remediation and reasons for its continued persistence. “Our approach will be fair, objective and evidence-based. We are not here to prejudge any party, but to establish the facts, promote accountability and facilitate solutions,” he said. Pondi described the situations in Bille and Odidi as manifestations of the wider environmental and developmental challenges facing the South-South region. He noted that despite the region’s significant contribution to Nigeria’s oil and gas economy, host communities continued to bear a disproportionate share of the environmental consequences of resource extraction. “The wealth derived from the natural resources of the Niger Delta must not come at the unacceptable cost of the health, livelihoods and future of its people,” he said. The lawmaker stressed that the House had a constitutional responsibility to exercise oversight, promote accountability and ensure that agencies responsible for environmental protection and resource management performed their duties effectively. He warned that the proceedings should not end with expressions of concern and unfulfilled promises. “We expect clear resolutions, firm commitments, defined responsibilities and measurable timelines,” Pondi said. He urged oil and gas companies, regulatory agencies, ministries, government institutions and community representatives to participate in the process with openness and a commitment to finding lasting solutions. NOSDRA confirms multiple gases in Bille At the engagement, the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) confirmed the presence of hydrogen sulphide, methane, volatile organic compounds and carbon dioxide in Bille Community, Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State. A director of NOSDRA, Dr Yusuf Rigasa, said investigations had established what he described as “multi-point subsurface gas bubbling” at several locations, including the premises of Government Primary and Secondary School. He said the school had subsequently been abandoned, while gas bubbling was also detected around waterways and mangrove areas. Rigasa said an air-quality assessment conducted by NOSDRA on December 6, 2025, across 19 stations recorded elevated concentrations of the gases. He explained that hydrogen sulphide has a characteristic rotten-
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