Residents of Bille Kingdom in Rivers State have threatened to halt all political campaigns ahead of the 2027 election unless urgent action is taken to address a persistent gas seepage crisis in their community. The warning marks an escalation in a long-running dispute over pollution in the area.
According to the residents, gas continues to seep within their community, and they accuse government agencies of inspecting the polluted sites repeatedly without releasing any reports or beginning remediation. They say the situation is affecting their health and that patience has finally run out.
Human rights activist Adokia Orlando was among those who voiced the community's frustration, warning that there will be no political campaigns in Bille Kingdom until the crisis is resolved. He said that as long as there is no solution, no political party would be allowed to campaign in the area.
The anger spilled onto the streets of Port Harcourt as activists led a peaceful march to the government house. There, they demanded comprehensive environmental remediation under the Petroleum Industry Act, calling for the immediate clean-up of the Bille community and the entire Niger Delta.
Central to their grievance is the question of the remediation fund. The protesters argued that the Petroleum Industry Act clearly states that the fund is meant for the clean-up of affected communities, and they demanded to know what the government is doing with the money set aside for that purpose.
Receiving the group's position paper on behalf of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the Permanent Secretary, Ono Sirawo, assured the demonstrators that the governor would receive their message. He commended their dedication to pursuing their demands through a peaceful process.
The residents said the position paper had also been forwarded to President Bola Tinubu, the Federal Ministry of Environment and the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency. As the community waits, the key question remains whether past promises will finally translate into concrete action on the ground.