Police Confirm Rivers Illegal Oil-Siphoning Tragedy As 43 Suspected Thieves Die

The Police in Rivers State have confirmed an oil-loading tragedy in Okrika Local Government Area, where 43 suspected oil thieves were reportedly killed after inhaling a petroleum product.

The incident occurred at about midnight on Thursday, September 3, 2026, at Okari Jetty in the Okrika Mainland area, according to the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria).

The organisation said many others were still missing after the incident, which occurred while a vessel was anchored at the jetty to load petroleum products for export.

According to YEAC-Nigeria, more than 200 persons, mostly youths from neighbouring communities, had arrived at the same jetty in locally made boats to illegally load the product from a tapped point on a pipeline.

A community source said that while the loading operation was underway, the pungent odour of the product saturated the area, causing several people to choke and collapse.

The source said many of the victims fell into the river, while others who escaped the scene developed serious respiratory complications and were taken to hospital for treatment.

The source added that 37 bodies had been identified as indigenes of Okrika, while six others were yet to be identified. Many others were also reportedly missing.

Confirming the incident, YEAC-Nigeria said its network of youth volunteers and human rights defenders in the Niger Delta received reports that no fewer than 37 suspected oil thieves had died after inhaling what is locally known as “Indorama fuel.”

The Executive Director of YEAC-Nigeria, Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, said the victims had connected a pipe to a tapping point on a pipeline allegedly transporting products from Indorama-Eleme Petrochemicals through the Port Harcourt Refinery to vessels that regularly come to load for export.

He said the men were simultaneously loading the product into their waiting boats while a vessel was loading, adding that they inhaled the product being pumped at high pressure.

“This led to the death of not fewer than 37 persons. Many are still missing, and some corpses have been seen floating on the river but have not yet been recovered,” Fyneface said.

He called on the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to conduct a Joint Investigation Visit to the site to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Fyneface also urged companies whose facilities were allegedly vandalised to strengthen security around their pipelines to prevent a recurrence.

He condemned the alleged sabotage and warned youths against tampering with oil and gas infrastructure because of the dangers associated with high-pressure petroleum products.

The organisation also called on the government to provide alternative livelihood opportunities for artisanal refiners in the Niger Delta, including through the establishment of modular refineries and the legalisation of artisanal refining.

Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer in Rivers State, ASP Agabe Blessing Karbalo, confirmed the incident but said investigations were ongoing to determine the actual number of casualties and the circumstances surrounding the deaths.