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 was said to have occurred around midnight on Thursday when more than 200 youths from Okrika and neighbouring communities reportedly arrived at the jetty in wooden boats to siphon petroleum products from an illegally tapped pipeline.
The youths were allegedly transferring the product into their boats while a vessel was loading petroleum products for export when the situation suddenly turned tragic.
Community sources said the fumes became increasingly intense during the operation, forcing several of the youths to collapse.
While some reportedly fell into the river and drowned, others who survived the incident were said to have suffered severe breathing difficulties and were rushed to hospitals for treatment.
Sources in the community put the number of fatalities at 43, with 37 of the victims reportedly identified as indigenes of Okrika, while six others were yet to be identified.
Several others were also said to be missing as search efforts continued.
However, the Rivers State Police Command said it had yet to ascertain the actual number of casualties, adding that investigations were ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre, YEAC-Nigeria, also confirmed receiving reports of multiple deaths linked to the incident.
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 petroleum products residents commonly refer to as “Indorama fuel.”
Fyneface explained that 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 products for export.
He said the product was being transported through the pipeline under high pressure when the youths allegedly began transferring it into boats, exposing them to the fumes.
According to him, some bodies had reportedly been seen floating on the river, while several people remained unaccounted for.
YEAC-Nigeria called on the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA, to conduct a joint investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and establish the actual cause of the reported deaths.
The group also urged oil and gas operators to strengthen surveillance around their facilities to curb pipeline vandalism and illegal bunkering.
Fyneface warned youths against tampering with oil and gas infrastructure, stressing the dangers associated with petroleum products being transported through high-pressure pipelines.
The organisation further called for sustainable economic opportunities in the Niger Delta, including modular refineries, the formalisation of artisanal refining and increased industrial development, arguing that such measures could reduce residents’ dependence on illegal oil-related activities.