Amnesty International Raises Alarm Over Bille Gas Leak, Rivers State Health Crisis

Human rights organisation, the Amnesty International Nigeria, has raised the alarm over the worsening environmental and public health emergency in Bille, where residents are reportedly facing a dangerous gas leakage that has set parts of the community on fire. In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), the organisation warned that ongoing methane emissions in the area have caused “bubbling water with flames erupting,” leaving residents exposed to serious health risks and environmental hazards. “Bille is on Fire. The Nigerian authorities must urgently address the danger residents of Bille town in Rivers state have been facing,” the group wrote. According to Amnesty International, the situation has persisted since October 2025, with methane gas reportedly seeping into nearby rivers and swamp areas, gradually spreading into residential zones. “Since October 2025, methane gas has been bubbling up in nearby rivers and swamps and is now affecting a significant amount of the town’s drinking wells,” the statement added. Residents are said to be increasingly exposed to contaminated water sources, with reports indicating that several wells used for drinking water have been affected by the gas leakage, raising fears of a broader public health crisis. Amnesty also noted that the situation has disrupted education in the community, forcing schoolchildren to relocate to safer areas. “Bille’s school children have been forced to move to another community for safety,” the organisation stated. The development has sparked renewed concern over environmental degradation and gas-related hazards in oil-producing communities across the Niger Delta, where residents have long complained about pollution, gas flaring, and poor regulatory enforcement. As of the time of filing this report, Nigerian authorities have yet to issue an official response to the latest warning from Amnesty International regarding the situation in Bille.