At least 37 people were reported dead, and several others remained missing after inhaling powerful petroleum fumes at a jetty in Okrika, Rivers State, in a tragedy that has renewed concerns over illegal oil activity and safety in Nigeria’s petroleum producing Niger Delta.
The incident occurred around midnight Thursday at Okari Jetty in the Okrika Mainland area. More than 100 people from Okrika and neighboring communities were reported to have arrived in locally made boats as a vessel was loading petroleum products at the waterfront.
Witnesses said a strong petroleum odor suddenly filled the area, overwhelming people near the jetty. Some collapsed and fell into the river, while others who managed to escape suffered breathing problems and were taken to hospitals for treatment. Several people were still unaccounted for after the incident.
The precise death toll remained uncertain. Community sources said 37 victims had been identified as residents of Okrika and six other bodies had not been identified, potentially putting the number of deaths at 43. Rivers State police said they had not yet independently confirmed the final casualty figure.
The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre, or YEAC Nigeria, said its network in the Niger Delta had received reports that at least 37 people died after exposure to fumes from a petroleum product. The group said the incident occurred during what it described as an illegal attempt to collect petroleum products from a tapping point connected to a pipeline.
Rivers State police spokesperson Blessing Agabe said the victims were reportedly attempting to steal petroleum products when the deaths occurred. Police have opened an investigation to determine exactly what happened and establish the number of casualties. “Investigation is ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and ascertain the facts,” Agabe said.
But Igwe Godswill, commander of the Civilian Joint Task Force in Okrika, gave a different account. He said the victims had gone to scoop petroleum products that had spilled into the river and were overwhelmed by fumes while a vessel was loading nearby. He described many of those killed as young people struggling to earn a living.
Godswill said some bodies had been recovered but several victims were difficult to identify because of their condition. He appealed to government and community leaders to create legitimate employment opportunities for young people, warning that poverty could continue to push residents toward hazardous informal activities.
The disaster highlights a decades old struggle with oil pollution, pipeline vandalism and unsafe petroleum activity in the Niger Delta, the region that produces much of Nigeria’s crude oil. Rivers State has experienced extensive environmental damage associated with petroleum production. A landmark U.N. Environment Programme assessment of nearby Ogoniland found that more than 50 years of oil operations had caused widespread contamination of land, water and ecosystems.
Authorities are now under pressure to determine the source and type of petroleum product involved, establish whether safety regulations were breached and account for those still missing. The Okrika deaths are also likely to renew debate over protecting petroleum infrastructure while addressing the unemployment and economic hardship that officials and community leaders say drive some residents toward dangerous oil related activities.
