At least 43 people are feared dead after toxic fumes reportedly overwhelmed an illegal petroleum siphoning operation at Okari Jetty in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The incident reportedly occurred around midnight on Thursday when more than 200 youths from Okrika and surrounding communities arrived at the jetty in wooden boats to siphon petroleum products from an illegally tapped pipeline.
According to TheCable, the youths were allegedly carrying out the operation while a vessel was loading petroleum products for export.
Community sources said the youths had begun transferring the product into their boats when the fumes suddenly became intense, causing several people to collapse.
Some of those affected reportedly fell into the river and drowned, while others who managed to escape were said to have experienced serious breathing difficulties and were taken to hospitals for medical attention.
Sources within the community put the death toll at 43, saying 37 of the victims had reportedly been identified as indigenes of Okrika, while six others remained unidentified.
Several other people were also reportedly missing following the incident.
However, the Rivers State Police Command said it had yet to establish the actual number of casualties, noting that investigations were underway to determine what happened.
The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre, YEAC-Nigeria, also confirmed receiving reports of the incident, saying its network of volunteers and human rights defenders across the Niger Delta had received information about multiple deaths.
The organisation’s Executive Director, Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, said at least 37 suspected oil thieves were believed to have died after inhaling toxic fumes from what residents commonly refer to as “Indorama fuel”.
According to him, the victims allegedly connected a pipe to a tapping point on a pipeline conveying petroleum products from the Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals area through the Port Harcourt refinery corridor to vessels loading the products for export.
Fyneface said the petroleum product was being pumped through the pipeline under high pressure when the youths began loading it into boats waiting at the location, exposing them to the fumes.
He added that some bodies had reportedly been sighted floating on the river, while several other people remained unaccounted for.
YEAC-Nigeria called on the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA, to undertake a joint investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine the cause of the reported deaths.
Fyneface also appealed to operators of oil and gas facilities to strengthen surveillance and security around their infrastructure to prevent pipeline vandalism and illegal bunkering activities.
He cautioned youths against interfering with oil and gas installations, highlighting the risks associated with petroleum products being transported through pipelines under high pressure.
The organisation further advocated the creation of sustainable livelihood opportunities across the Niger Delta, including the development of modular refineries, formalisation of artisanal refining and greater industrial development.
According to the group, such measures would help reduce the economic dependence of residents on illegal oil-related activities.
