The member representing Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Dumnamene Dekor, has called on the Federal and Rivers State governments to declare Bille Kingdom in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State a disaster zone. This appeal was made at the 2026 National Extractives Dialogue in Port Harcourt. Dekor emphasized the need for urgent government intervention to address the scale of environmental degradation in Bille.
Dekor urged the National Emergency Management Agency and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to establish immediate medical camps, distribute relief materials, and develop evacuation plans for residents in high-risk areas of the community. He stressed that residents would have been evacuated if the crisis were occurring in countries with stronger emergency response mechanisms. The lawmaker also called on community leaders, civil society organisations, regulatory agencies, and industry stakeholders to work together to save Bille Kingdom from further environmental devastation.
The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency and the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative have called for the identification, disclosure, and remediation of environmental liabilities before oil and gas assets are divested or transferred to new operators. The Director-General of NOSDRA, Engr. Chukwuemeka Woke, assured the community that the agency remained committed to transparently sharing the findings of its investigations and ensuring that appropriate remediation measures were undertaken.
The Executive Secretary of NEITI, Hon. Musa Sarkin Adar, highlighted the importance of addressing environmental liabilities before ownership changes. He warned that environmental liabilities could be transferred from well-capitalised international operators to successor companies with different financial and technical capacities, leaving host communities and the Nigerian government to bear the consequences. Adar stressed that remediation should be a condition precedent to exit rather than an issue left for courts to resolve years after an asset had changed hands.
The Executive Director of Spaces for Change, Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri, said the Bille crisis raised broader questions about how Nigeria manages environmental liabilities when oil and gas assets change hands. She noted that residents had reported persistent gas emissions, contamination, and threats to water sources and livelihoods, stressing that the situation was beyond a technical issue as it directly affected the safety, health, and economic wellbeing of the people.
Dekor further urged the Rivers State Government to intensify its intervention, saying the state had a greater responsibility to protect citizens affected by the crisis. He affirmed that his committee stands fully ready to act as a bridge, facilitating open dialogue, supporting necessary policy frameworks, and ensuring that agreements are translated into lasting relief on the ground.
The dialogue also considered the impact of environmental degradation on women and children, as well as challenges relating to remediation, compensation, and accountability across the Niger Delta. Key stakeholders are working together to examine investigations, technical assessments, emissions data, and operators' compliance to find solutions to the environmental crisis in Bille Kingdom.
Key points
- The Federal and Rivers State governments are urged to declare Bille Kingdom a disaster zone due to persistent gas leaks and environmental degradation.
- Environmental liabilities must be identified, disclosed, and remediated before oil and gas assets are divested or transferred to new operators.
- The Rivers State Government is called upon to intensify its intervention to protect citizens affected by the crisis.
