Lawmaker seeks disaster declaration for Bille Kingdom
The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) have called for the identification, disclosure and remediation of environmental liabilities before oil and gas assets are transferred to new operators.
The agencies made the call on Tuesday in Port Harcourt at the 2026 National Extractives Dialogue organised by Spaces for Change (S4C), which focused on the environmental crisis in Bille Kingdom, Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Residents of Bille have reported persistent gas leaks, bubbling water sources and environmental pollution affecting waterways, drinking wells and livelihoods.
Representing the NOSDRA Director-General, Engr. Chukwuemeka Woke, the agency’s Director of ICT/GIS, Dr Yusuf Rigasa, said NOSDRA had conducted technical investigations into the crisis and remained committed to ensuring appropriate remediation.
He stressed that environmental obligations should not be abandoned when ownership or operatorship of an oil asset changes.
Similarly, NEITI Executive Secretary, Hon. Musa Sarkin Adar, represented by Sa’ad Balarabe, said environmental liabilities must be fully identified, valued and disclosed before oil assets are divested.
He warned that unresolved liabilities could ultimately leave host communities and the Nigerian government to bear the cost of environmental damage.
Meanwhile, the member representing Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency, Dumnamene Dekor, called on the Federal and Rivers State governments to declare Bille Kingdom a disaster zone to enable emergency funding and urgent intervention.
Dekor also urged NEMA and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to establish medical camps, provide relief materials and develop evacuation plans for residents in high-risk areas.
He called on stakeholders to work together to address the crisis, stressing that the people of Bille deserve clean air, safe water and a secure future.