By Adeola Kunle
OKRIKA, RIVERS STATE — At least 37 people have reportedly died after being exposed to toxic fumes during an illegal petroleum product loading operation at Okari Jetty in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The incident reportedly happened around midnight on Thursday in the Okrika Mainland area, where youths from Okrika and neighbouring communities had gathered at a suspected illegal oil tapping point to load petroleum products into locally made boats.
Community sources said more than 100 people had converged on the jetty while a vessel was anchored along the river to load petroleum products. The operation reportedly turned fatal when a strong and dangerous smell suddenly filled the area, leaving several people unconscious.
According to one community source, some of those affected fell into the river, while others who escaped developed severe respiratory complications and were taken to hospitals for treatment.
The source said more than 37 bodies had so far been identified as residents of Okrika, while six others remained unidentified and several people were still missing.
The Youth and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) also confirmed the incident through reports received from its network of youth volunteers and human rights defenders operating across the Niger Delta.
The organisation’s Executive Director, Dr Fyneface Dumnamene, said the deaths occurred during the illegal transfer of petroleum products into a vessel at a tapping point at the jetty.
Dumnamene explained that the victims allegedly connected a pipe to an illegal tapping point on a pipeline conveying petroleum products from the Indorama Eleme Petrochemical complex through the Port Harcourt Refinery to vessels that reportedly arrive every two weeks to load products for export.
He said the youths were attempting to transfer the product into their boats at the same time a vessel was loading, exposing them to the fumes.
According to him, at least 37 people died from inhaling what residents locally refer to as “Indorama Fuel”, while several others remained unaccounted for. Some bodies were reportedly seen floating on the river but had yet to be recovered.
Dumnamene called on the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency to immediately visit the site with other relevant authorities to investigate the incident.
He also appealed to the company whose facilities were allegedly vandalised to strengthen security around its pipelines to prevent further incidents.
The YEAC-Nigeria director condemned the alleged tampering with oil infrastructure and warned residents, particularly youths, against approaching high-pressure oil and gas facilities because of the potentially fatal consequences.
He further called for government and community-backed economic alternatives for young people in the Niger Delta. Among his recommendations were the development of modular refineries and the legalisation of artisanal refining as a means of providing safer sources of livelihood.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Command confirmed that an incident had occurred but said its preliminary information indicated that the victims were attempting to steal crude oil.
The command’s spokesperson, Assistant Superintendent of Police Blessing Agabe, said no formal complaint had been received regarding the incident but disclosed that an investigation had commenced.
Agabe said the investigation would establish exactly what happened and determine the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
However, the Civilian JTF Commander in Okrika Local Government Area, Igwe Godswill, provided a different account.
According to him, the victims had gone to collect petroleum products that had spilled into the river but were overcome by fumes released from a vessel loading products at the jetty.
Godswill described the incident as devastating, particularly because many of those affected were young people struggling to earn a living in an area where employment opportunities are limited.
He said the victims were not necessarily criminals but youths who had gone out in search of income and were exposed to a dangerous situation in the process.
The Civilian JTF commander said about 10 bodies had been recovered at the time of his account. He explained that identification had been difficult because some of the remains were badly damaged.
Of the recovered bodies, he said four could not initially be recognised, while four had been identified, with the remaining bodies still difficult to identify because of the severe condition of their faces and remains.
Godswill urged the Rivers State Government, community leaders, local authorities and other stakeholders to urgently address unemployment and create legitimate sources of income for young people in Okrika.
He argued that simply preventing youths from engaging in dangerous activities would not permanently solve the problem if they had no alternative means of survival.
According to him, people continued to visit the area even after the deaths were confirmed, demonstrating the desperation caused by the lack of livelihood opportunities.
He therefore appealed for sustainable employment and economic programmes capable of providing food and income for young people in the community and preventing them from returning to hazardous activities.
The circumstances surrounding the reported deaths remain under investigation.
Adeola Kunle
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