At least 37 youths from Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State have reportedly died after inhaling toxic fumes while allegedly loading a petroleum product from an illegally tapped pipeline at Okari Jetty in Okrika Mainland.
Several others were also said to be missing following the incident, which reportedly occurred around midnight on Wednesday, September 3, 2026.
The incident reportedly occurred as more than 200 people, mostly youths from neighbouring communities, converged on the jetty in locally made boats to collect what residents described as “Indorama fuel” from an illegal tapping point.
A community source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the atmosphere was filled with a pungent odour during the operation, causing several of the youths to collapse.
According to the source, some victims fell into the river, while others who managed to escape developed severe respiratory complications and were rushed to hospitals for treatment.
The source said 37 bodies had so far been identified as indigenes of Okrika, while six other bodies were yet to be identified.
He added that several people were still missing, raising fears that the death toll could increase.
The incident was also confirmed by the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre, YEAC-Nigeria, which said its network of youth volunteers and human rights defenders in Okrika had alerted the organisation to the tragedy.
The Executive Director of YEAC-Nigeria, Dr Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, said no fewer than 37 persons suspected to have been involved in oil theft died after allegedly inhaling what is locally known as “Indorama fuel.”
Fyneface said the incident occurred while a vessel was loading petroleum products at the jetty and suspected oil thieves were simultaneously filling their boats from an illegally tapped pipeline.
He alleged that the victims had connected a pipe to a tapping point on a pipeline conveying products from Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals through the Port Harcourt Refinery to vessels that periodically arrive to load products for export.
He said the product was being pumped under high pressure when those involved in the illegal operation were overwhelmed by the fumes, resulting in multiple deaths.
“Some corpses have reportedly been sighted floating on the river but have not yet been recovered, while several others remain missing,” he said.
Fyneface called on the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA, to conduct a Joint Investigation Visit, JIV, to the scene to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and establish the extent of the damage.
He also urged the companies whose facilities were allegedly vandalised to strengthen surveillance and security around their pipelines to prevent further loss of lives.
While condemning the alleged oil theft and pipeline vandalism, the YEAC-Nigeria director warned youths against tampering with petroleum infrastructure, stressing the dangers posed by high-pressure pipelines and toxic hydrocarbon products.
He, however, called for greater government intervention through alternative livelihood programmes aimed at reducing dependence on illegal oil-related activities.
Among the measures he advocated were the promotion of modular refineries, legalisation of artisanal refining and the establishment of the proposed Presidential Artisanal Crude Oil Refining Development Initiative, PACORDI, as well as the Niger Delta Industrial Park.
He said such interventions would provide alternative economic opportunities for artisanal refiners and other youths whose livelihoods are linked to illegal oil activities.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Agabe Blessing Karbalo, confirmed that an incident occurred at the location.
She, however, said the police were still investigating to establish the actual number of casualties and determine the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The Okrika incident comes amid growing concerns over the safety of petroleum infrastructure in the Niger Delta.
Only last week, a gas pipeline reportedly linking Indorama facilities and the Port Harcourt Refinery was ruptured at Aleto in Eleme, releasing gas into the atmosphere for several days.
The latest incident is expected to heighten calls for tighter surveillance of petroleum pipelines and stronger measures to curb illegal tapping and oil theft in the region.
