Since October 2025, residents of Bille Kingdom in Rivers State have reported gas bubbling from boreholes, compounds, swamps and areas near a school. Some emission points have caught fire, the air carries a strong sulphurous smell, and water from affected sources has turned black. In one frightening incident, an explosion reportedly blew a woman out of her room.

Official and preliminary assessments have identified high levels of methane, hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide, as well as polluted groundwater and poor air quality. Residents have reported breathing problems, skin rashes, vomiting and diarrhoea. Fishing has declined, schooling has been disrupted, and families now spend heavily on sachet water because their local water sources may no longer be safe.

Bille’s crisis is unfolding within the wider environmental devastation of the Niger Delta. For decades, oil extraction, gas flaring and repeated spills have polluted the region’s land and waterways, damaged livelihoods and exposed communities to serious health risks. The strange gas emissions in Bille add another layer of danger: the possibility that homes, schools and water sources could become sites of fire or explosion.

This is an environmental and public-health emergency threatening tens of thousands of people. The government must not wait for a major explosion or loss of life before acting. The people of Bille deserve safe water, clean air, emergency support, a proper investigation and a clear account of the cause of this strange happening.