The Degema Area Traditional Rulers Council has appealed to the Federal Government to urgently intervene in the prolonged gas leak affecting Bille Community, describing the situation as a major environmental and humanitarian crisis.
In a statement signed by the Chairman of the Council, King Agolia Aboko, Omoni XII, the traditional rulers commended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara for responding promptly to the incident.
The council, however, lamented that despite the state’s intervention, the gas leak has persisted for more than seven months, causing severe hardship, disrupting livelihoods, and posing serious health risks to residents.
The monarchs called on the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, and the Federal Ministry of Environment to immediately identify and stop the source of the leak.
They also appealed to corporate organisations, non-governmental organisations, and well-meaning Nigerians to provide relief materials for affected residents.
