43 suspected oil thieves choke to death from petroleum gas in Rivers

About 43 persons believed to be oil thieves are feared dead after inhaling a petroleum product in Okirika Local Government Area of Rivers State.

It was gathered that many other unaccounted number of persons have been missing following the incident that affected large part of Okirika. 

However, the Police Public Relations Officer of the State Command, Blessing Agabe, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, who confirmed the development said the victims were suspected oil thieves.

Agabe said “The suspects reportedly died in the process of attempting to steal crude oil. However, no official complaint has been received in connection with the incident at this time.

“Investigation is ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and ascertain the facts.” It was alleged that the incident occurred when a vessel anchoring at a jetty along the riverside to load a petroleum product for export was tampered with by alleged oil thieves.

It also alleged that while the vessel was loading that was about 200 youths from neighbouring communities stormed the same jetty on various locally made boats to also load from a point they illegally tapped.

A source privy to the development, who gave her name only as Belema, said while the loading was going that poisonous odour of the product saturated the air and choked many people including the oil thieves.

Belema said many of the victims fell into the river and died, while others who managed to escape the scene had serious respiratory challenges and are being treated at different health facilities. 

She alleged that over 37 bodies were identified as Okirika people while six others were yet to be identified, adding that many were still missing.

Meanwhile, the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) in a statement in Port Harcourt, confirmed the incident, stating that it got the information through its network of youth volunteers and human rights defenders in the Niger Delta in the Okrika LGA.

The Executive Director, YEAC-Nigeria, Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene said the victims had connected a pipe to a tapping point on a pipeline that normally transported product from Indorama Eleme Petrochemical through the Port Harcourt Refinery to vessels that usually came every two weeks to load for export.

He said “According to the report, no fewer than 37 persons suspected to be oil thieves died after inhaling what is locally called ‘Indorama Fuel’. Many others are still missing. The incident occurred during the illegal loading of the product into a ship at a tapping point.

“The incident is said to have occurred at about 12:00am on Thursday, September 3, 2026, at the Okari Jetty, Okrika Mainland area.”

He further said: “The report further stated that while a vessel was loading the product and the men were simultaneously loading into their waiting boats from the illegal tapping point, 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.”

Dumnamene, however, called on the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA, to carry out a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) to the site of this incident, even as he urged companies that owned the vandalised facilities to provide adequate security on their pipelines to prevent a recurrence of the ugly incident.

He said “The Advocacy Centre condemns this act of sabotage by the youths and warns them to stay away from oil and gas infrastructure due to the high pressure and associated dangers. 

“While calling for investigation into the incident, the Advocacy Centre also calls on the government to provide alternative livelihood opportunities, including the canvassed modular refineries and the legalization of artisanal refining.”