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At least 43 people have died from toxic fumes while attempting to steal oil at a jetty in Nigeria, a West African nation. The incident occurred at midnight at the Okari Jetty in the Okrika area of Rivers State, authorities reported.
According to local residents, over 200 young individuals went there in wooden boats and attempted to siphon petroleum products from a pipeline. Many lost consciousness due to dense toxic fumes, and some fell into the river and drowned.
The Anadolu news agency reported that the incident took place at midnight at the Okari Jetty in the Okrika area. It is understood that petroleum products were being loaded onto a ship for export at that location.
Local residents informed Anadolu that over 200 young people from Okrika and surrounding areas arrived there in wooden boats. They then attempted to steal petroleum products from an illegally connected tapping point on a pipeline linked to the facility.
However, while loading petroleum products onto the boats, they fell ill due to dense toxic fumes. Several lost consciousness, and some reportedly fell into the river and drowned. Police spokesperson Blessing Agabe stated, “An investigation is underway to ascertain the full extent and true picture of the incident.”
The Youth and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), an environmental and human rights organization based in the Niger Delta, confirmed multiple deaths. Its Executive Director, Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, stated that the deceased were allegedly connecting pipes to a tapping point to siphon petroleum products from a pipeline.
This pipeline transports petroleum products from the Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals area, via the Port Harcourt refinery corridor, to ships being loaded for export.
Fyneface explained that while petroleum products were being pumped through the pipeline under high pressure, the youths were simultaneously loading them onto waiting boats. This exposed them to toxic fumes. He added that several bodies were seen floating in the river, and several others are still missing.
This tragic incident once again highlights the risks associated with illegal oil siphoning and petroleum theft in the oil-rich Niger Delta region. Security forces have been conducting operations against crude oil theft, illegal refining, and illicit transportation of petroleum products in Rivers State and surrounding areas.
The Nigerian army reported that in April of this year, operations in Rivers, Delta, and Akwa Ibom states led to the destruction of 10 illegal oil refineries and the arrest of nine individuals suspected of oil theft. The army also stated that these operations recovered over 130,000 liters of stolen crude oil and more than 26,000 liters of automotive gas oil.
Previously, on August 28, the Nigerian navy announced that an operation in Rivers State resulted in the destruction of two illegal oil refineries and the recovery of 34,000 liters of suspected illegally refined automotive gas oil.