37 Suspected Oil Thieves Die from Toxic Fumes in Rivers

On September 3, 2026, at approximately 12:00 am, a tragic incident occurred at Okari Jetty in Okrika Local Government Area, Rivers State, where at least 37 suspected oil thieves died after inhaling toxic fumes from a petroleum product known locally as "Indorama fuel." The victims were part of a group of over 200 individuals, primarily youths from nearby communities, who attempted to illegally load the product from a tapping point connected to a pipeline. As they loaded the product, the air became saturated with a pungent odor, leading to respiratory distress.

Many victims collapsed into the river, and some corpses have been reported floating but not yet recovered. Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, Executive Director of the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), confirmed the incident and called for a Joint Investigation Visit by the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA).

He urged for better security measures on pipelines to prevent such incidents and condemned the act of sabotage by the youths.