HOMEF Demands Probe into Okrika Deaths Linked to Oil

The Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) has demanded an urgent investigation into the deaths reported at Okari Jetty Creeks in Okrika Local Government Area, Rivers State. The advocacy group raised concerns following conflicting reports about an incident that allegedly resulted in several fatalities due to exposure to petroleum fumes, with initial reports indicating that as many as 37 individuals were feared dead after inhaling fumes from a petroleum product known as “Indorama fuel.” The Rivers State Police Command confirmed the incident and stated that investigations are ongoing, while the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) reported recovering four corpses, indicating that earlier casualty estimates were not fully verified.

Conflicting narratives have emerged regarding the circumstances of the tragedy, with some linking victims to attempts to access petroleum products from a pipeline, which relatives disputed. Dr. Nnimmo Bassey, Executive Director of HOMEF, emphasized the need for an official investigation to ascertain the cause of the fatalities and highlighted the ongoing environmental hazards faced by communities in the Niger Delta.