Abuja : At least 37 people have been reported dead after a suspected illegal petroleum siphoning operation at Okari Jetty in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State, southern Nigeria.
The incident happened around midnight on Thursday, September 3, when a large group of people reportedly gathered at the jetty in locally made boats to collect petroleum products from an illegally tapped point. A vessel was also reportedly at the location loading petroleum products.
People at the site were exposed to strong fumes during the operation. Several reportedly collapsed, while some fell into the river as they tried to escape. Others who survived were reported to have suffered breathing difficulties and were taken for medical treatment.
The reported death toll has not been officially confirmed. The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre, known as YEAC Nigeria, reported at least 37 deaths, while some local reports put the possible toll at 43.
The Rivers State Police Command confirmed that people had died in the incident but did not confirm either figure. Police said an investigation was under way to establish the circumstances and determine the actual number of casualties.
Police spokesperson ASP Blessing Kaborlo Agabe said the victims were reportedly attempting to steal crude oil when the incident occurred.
The exact nature of the petroleum substance involved also remains unclear. Some reports have described it as crude oil, while others have referred to petroleum products. The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps said the substance requires technical confirmation.
The NSCDC has also said that casualty figures circulating publicly remain unverified. The agency is working with other security agencies to establish the number of people who died, were injured or remain missing.
The security agency said its investigation would also examine possible negligence, collusion or criminal facilitation. These remain areas of investigation and have not been established as facts.
Reports also differ on the number of people who were at the jetty. Some accounts said more than 100 people had gathered at the location, while other local reports put the number at more than 200. The exact number has not been established.
The Civilian Joint Task Force in Okrika gave another account of the incident. Its local commander, Igwe Godswill, said some of those who died had gone to collect petroleum products floating on the water and were overcome by fumes from the vessel loading at the jetty.
The different accounts have made the ongoing investigation important in determining exactly what happened and how the deaths occurred.
YEAC Executive Director Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface said the organisation received reports about the deaths through its network of youth volunteers and human rights defenders in the Niger Delta. He called for a detailed investigation into the incident and urged stronger protection around oil infrastructure.
The incident has again highlighted the dangers associated with illegal oil activities in Nigeria's Niger Delta, where crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism have remained serious problems for many years.
The Niger Delta is a major oil producing region, but communities there have also faced pollution and other environmental problems associated with oil production and illegal oil activities.
The Nigerian government has repeatedly taken action against crude oil theft and illegal refining, which it says cause billions of dollars in losses each year. Security agencies have increased operations around oil facilities, pipelines and waterways in the region.
The latest incident has raised fresh concerns about the risks faced by people involved in illegal petroleum activities, particularly around pipelines and loading points where petroleum products may be handled under pressure.
Authorities are continuing efforts to establish the full circumstances of the incident, identify those who died and determine how many people remain missing.
For now, the figure of at least 37 deaths remains a reported toll rather than a final official death count. The number of missing people, the precise substance involved and the exact cause of the deaths are still being investigated.