A federal government delegation has visited Bille community in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State following months of persistent gas seepage, assuring residents that efforts are underway to permanently resolve the environmental crisis.
Gatekeepers News reports that the delegation, led by Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpo Ekpo, met with Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, oil and gas operators, and community leaders at the Government House in Port Harcourt to review the situation and agree on practical steps to address the problem.
Ekpo said the visit was approved by President Bola Tinubu as a follow-up to earlier inspections carried out by the Rivers State Government. He explained that experts deployed by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) are still investigating the source of the gas seepage because there are no known oil and gas facilities close to the affected area.
He urged residents to remain patient and cooperate with investigators, stressing that the Federal Government is committed to protecting lives, restoring the environment and delivering a lasting solution to the crisis.
Governor Fubara described the enlarged stakeholders’ meeting as productive, saying it brought together all relevant parties to identify the cause of the leak and agree on the best way forward.
He expressed confidence that more concrete measures would be implemented in the coming weeks and reaffirmed the state’s commitment to supporting affected residents.
The gas seepage, first reported in late 2025, has disrupted fishing and other economic activities in Bille community, polluted water sources and raised concerns over residents’ health and safety.
Authorities said investigations and remediation efforts are continuing as both the federal and Rivers State governments work towards a permanent resolution.
