OKRIKA TOWN, Rivers State, Nigeria — At least 37 people were killed in a suspected oil theft incident in Nigeria’s Rivers State, local authorities confirmed, after high-pressure fumes suffocated a crowd attempting to illegally siphon crude oil.
According to reports, dozens of individuals arrived in small wooden boats at the creek systems near Okrika Town to illegally extract petroleum products from a pipeline. The situation turned deadly when high-pressure fumes suddenly escaped the pipeline, engulfing and suffocating the gathered crowd.
A spokesperson for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps stated that the exact substance involved still requires technical confirmation, though early assessments point to toxic fumes as the primary cause of the mass casualties. Authorities noted that the group’s boat reportedly broke down during the operation, trapping the individuals in the waterway just before the fumes engulfed everyone within that region.
This tragedy stands as the deadliest reported incident of its kind in the area since October 2023, highlighting the ongoing and perilous issue of pipeline vandalism and illegal bunkering in the Niger Delta region.
The human toll of the disaster was echoed by a grieving relative of one of the victims, who shared a poignant reflection on the inherent dangers of the local waterways.
“While alive, he used to tell me that he could never die in the water. He had even run into pirates while doing his business on the water. Sometimes the sea pirates would even give him some gifts,” the relative said. “There’s nothing we can do about that. He’s gone. He’s gone. It’s just God. I pray God helps us.”
The relative also highlighted the treacherous and complex nature of the local geography, describing the area as an “ancient territory that has so many creeks known by insiders and outsiders,” underscoring the challenges authorities face in monitoring and securing these remote, water-logged environments against illegal oil siphoning operations.
Investigations into the exact cause of the pipeline rupture and the identification of the victims remain ongoing.
