Gas crisis in Rivers’ Bille community turns deadly as warnings go unheeded

For almost a year, residents of Bille Kingdom in Rivers State have watched gas bubble from their wells, waterways and the ground beneath their homes.

They complained about the smell, reported contaminated water, and warned that the gas could ignite. Then, on September 3, a room in the community exploded.

Joy Amos, a 21-year-old Bille resident, suffered severe burns in the blast. She spent weeks receiving treatment before dying on September 22, turning what had long been treated as an environmental hazard into a deadly public-safety crisis.

Social Action, a non-profit which has documented the Bille emergency since early 2026, said her death represents the consequence of warnings that were not acted on quickly enough.

The organisation had previously described Bille as sitting on a “keg of gunpowder”, warning that persistent gas emissions could result in fire and explosion.

“Joy’s death has now placed those warnings in sharper focus,” Social Action said in a newsletter, calling for an urgent investigation into the source of the gas, the risks facing residents and the response of authorities.

The crisis began around October 2025, when residents of the riverine community in Degema Local Government Area noticed intense bubbling in rivers and other waterways. Wells and boreholes reportedly began releasing gas under pressure, while residents complained of pungent, hydrocarbon-like smells.

Social Action visited Bille on March 25 and said its team witnessed gas bubbling from the ground and boreholes. It also watched water that appeared clear turn black within seconds.

The problem attracted government attention, but the source of the gas remained unclear.

On June 30, the National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA, confirmed that its investigation had detected elevated levels of methane and carbon dioxide in Bille.

But NOSDRA said it had not established the precise source and needed further scientific and geophysical investigations to determine whether the emissions were naturally occurring or connected to oil and gas operations.

Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara approved ₦100 million in palliative support for Bille, including relief for affected residents. The state described the intervention as temporary while efforts continued to identify and address the underlying cause.

In September, Amos’s room suddenly caught fire. Social Action said she had noticed bubbling beneath the floor, unusual heat and signs of pressure before the incident. She suffered severe burns and died weeks later.

Another case

Deborah Orlando, a teacher at State School One in Bille, reportedly opened a classroom window and encountered heavy gas fumes rising from beneath the school structures before collapsing. Social Action said she was in critical condition and struggling to breathe. It also cited wider reports of respiratory problems, skin conditions and other illnesses among residents.

The crisis has prompted renewed demands for action. At a September 23 press conference in Port Harcourt, Social Action, Bille representatives and civil society groups called for a criminal and regulatory investigation into the circumstances surrounding Amos’s injuries and death.

They demanded publication of relevant investigation findings, a national emergency response, temporary evacuation arrangements for residents in dangerous areas, environmental remediation and compensation for lives lost, health impacts and damaged livelihoods.

They also called for legal accountability where evidence establishes wrongdoing or breach of duty, and emergency medical support for residents exposed to the gases.

“Bille needs a lasting solution to the emergency, not temporary relief or sympathy,” Social Action said.