At least 37 individuals are feared dead after they attempted to illegally tap into a crude oil shipment in southern Nigeria. According to the Youth and Advocacy Centre, a local environmental NGO, most of the victims succumbed to the inhalation of hazardous fumes emitted during the illicit operation.
The incident occurred overnight on Thursday in Okrika, located in Rivers State within the oil-rich Niger Delta region. The NGO reported that the fatalities took place at a jetty where a vessel was actively loading oil from the Indorama Eleme Petrochemical facility via the Port Harcourt Refinery. Those who died were allegedly trying to siphon the commodity into boats at an unauthorized tapping point.
Authorities have not yet issued an official death toll, though the Rivers State Police Command confirmed the fatalities. Spokesperson Blessing Agbabe stated, “The Rivers State Police Command can confirm the deaths. The victims were allegedly attempting to steal crude oil,” adding that investigations into the specific circumstances are ongoing.
The Youth and Advocacy Centre quoted a network of volunteers indicating that additional people remain missing, potentially lost in the water. Meanwhile, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps cautioned that circulating casualty figures remain unverified and is collaborating with other security agencies to clarify the details.
Oil theft is a persistent issue in the Niger Delta, Africa’s largest oil-producing region, which struggles with poverty and significant environmental degradation. The Nigerian government estimates that illegal tapping results in financial losses amounting to several billion dollars annually. The practice also frequently leads to leaks and further ecological damage.
If the reported figures are confirmed, this event would represent the deadliest known accident linked to attempted oil theft in Nigeria since at least October 2023.
Leave a Reply