Rivers begins investigation as JTF says victims choked to death
The search for her husband ended with a sight no wife should have to endure: his lifeless body brought home, with foam coming from his mouth.
For Madam Sarah, the tragedy at Okari Jetty in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State turned a routine wait for her husband into a desperate search that ended in tears and anguish.
She was among relatives who searched for loved ones following reports of an incident allegedly involving the inhalation of toxic fumes during an illegal petroleum product loading operation.
But even as families mourned and searched for missing relatives, uncertainty persisted over what exactly happened and how many people died.
The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) claimed that no fewer than 37 persons died in the incident, while the LightHope Succour Worldwide Initiative (LSWI) said its preliminary enquiries could not establish that the reported incident occurred.
Sarah, who lost her husband in the incident, said she and her children began searching after he failed to return home.
According to her, the family was informed that three bodies had been found shortly after news of the incident spread, prompting them to rush to the scene.
“On Wednesday, we did not see my husband. So I called the children so we could go and search for him. That was when some people told us that they saw three dead bodies; that we should go and check if one of them was my husband.
“So, quickly, my children ran to the place and brought the three bodies back to the community. When they brought my husband, foam was coming out of his mouth. They said they inhaled gas,” she said.
The son of another victim, Tonye George, said his father was also among those who died, although the family could not establish the exact number of casualties.
“I heard the news. Unfortunately, my father was part of them. According to reports, there were many victims, but we don’t really know the number,” he said.
Another relative, Kingsley George, recounted how fishermen helped his family locate the body of his younger brother, Dennis.
“The death of my brother is shocking. On Wednesday morning, we went out to look for him; his name is Dennis. As we were going, we saw people who were catching fish, and they told us they had seen dead bodies.
“We went there and saw Dennis’ lifeless body. Other people were there looking for the corpses of their relatives as well,” he said.
LSWI, YEAC-Nigeria Differ On Casualty Figures, Incident
Meanwhile, there are conflicting reports about the incident
The executive director of YEAC-Nigeria, Dr Fyneface Dumnamene, said the incident reportedly occurred at about midnight on Thursday, 3 September 2026, at Okari Jetty, Okrika Mainland.
According to him, many others were still missing, while some corpses were reportedly seen floating on the river but had yet to be recovered.
