Okrika Oil Incident: 43 Feared Dead as Police Probe Toxic Fume Exposure

At least 43 people are feared dead following an incident involving suspected illegal siphoning of petroleum products at Okari Jetty in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The incident reportedly occurred around midnight on Thursday, September 3, 2026, when more than 200 people, mostly youths from neighbouring communities, allegedly converged on the area to siphon petroleum products from an illegal tapping point.

Community sources claimed that toxic fumes from the petroleum product overwhelmed the area during the operation, causing several people to collapse. Some reportedly fell into the river, while others who survived were taken to hospitals after developing breathing difficulties.

The reported death toll has not been independently confirmed. The Rivers State Police Command said it could not establish the actual number of casualties because investigations were still ongoing.

A community source claimed that 37 of the deceased had been identified as indigenes of Okrika, while six others remained unidentified. Several people were also reportedly missing following the incident.

The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) confirmed that an incident occurred, with its network of volunteers and human rights defenders in the Niger Delta reporting at least 37 deaths. The organisation’s Executive Director, Dr Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, said the victims were allegedly attempting to load petroleum products into boats.

Fyneface alleged that the individuals had connected a pipe to an illegal tapping point on a pipeline said to convey petroleum products from Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals through the Port Harcourt Refinery to vessels operating in the area.

He said the product was allegedly being pumped under high pressure when people at the scene inhaled the fumes. He added that some bodies were reportedly seen in the river but had yet to be recovered, while others remained missing.

Fyneface called on the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to conduct a Joint Investigation Visit to the site and establish what happened. He also urged companies whose infrastructure was allegedly vandalised to strengthen security around their pipelines.

While condemning pipeline vandalism and illegal petroleum siphoning, he warned residents against approaching oil and gas infrastructure because of the risks associated with petroleum products under pressure. He also called for alternative livelihood programmes for vulnerable youths and artisanal operators in the Niger Delta.

However, Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Blessing Agabe Kaborio, maintained that the casualty figure had not been established.

“A number of people who went to scoop crude oil died in the process. I cannot volunteer the actual figure now because investigation is still ongoing,” Kaborio said.

The police said the ongoing investigation would determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and establish the actual number of casualties.