Gas leakage: NHRC pledges to address Rivers community’s concerns

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has pledged to address the concerns of Bile community residents in Rivers State, who have been facing persistent gas leakage issues. Assistant Chief Investigation Officer Zainab Hamma made the assurance during a presentation of a documentary on the community by Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) in Abuja.

The NHRC will examine the issues raised by the community to safeguard their lives and livelihoods. Hamma thanked the community for bringing the issue to light, emphasizing the commission's commitment to protecting Nigerians' lives and livelihoods. The residents have complained about the leakage despite visits by relevant agencies and environmental assessments.

Timothy Agunbiade, Vice President of the Bile Kingdom Youth Foundation, stated that despite multiple visits from agencies such as the National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and NHRC itself, the leakage problem persists. Agunbiade appealed to the government to prioritize stopping the leakage rather than providing financial assistance or food to the residents, urging it to be the first step before addressing any remediation measures.

Akinbode Oluwafemi, Executive Director of CAPPA, called for urgent measures from the government and relevant authorities to address the situation, recommending the establishment of a binding timetable for relevant agencies and operators to ensure timely resolution of the gas leakage issue.