At least 37 people were reportedly killed after inhaling toxic fumes while allegedly attempting to tap an oil pipeline in Nigeria’s Rivers State, according to an environmental group.
At least 37 people were killed after inhaling toxic fumes while allegedly attempting to tap an oil pipeline in southern Nigeria, an environmental group said on Friday. Authorities, however, have yet to confirm the reported death toll.
The incident occurred around midnight on Thursday at Okrika in Rivers State, according to the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria).
Police also said that people died during an alleged attempt to steal crude oil but did not provide a casualty figure.
37 reported dead in pipeline tapping incident
YEAC-Nigeria said it received and verified information from its network of youth volunteers and human rights defenders in the Niger Delta that at least 37 people had died after inhaling what it described as “Indorama fuel”.
The group said the incident took place at Okari Jetty while a vessel was loading petroleum products. Suspected oil thieves were allegedly siphoning the product under high pressure into boats.
YEAC-Nigeria also reported that several people remained missing and that some bodies had been spotted floating in the river.
Rivers State police spokesperson ASP Blessing Kaborlo Agabe said an investigation was underway to establish the circumstances of the incident and verify the facts.
Authorities yet to confirm casualty figures
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps said the casualty figures circulating online had not been verified.
More from WorldThe agency said the substance involved also needed to be technically identified before its impact could be established. It added that it was working with security agencies to determine the number of people killed, injured or missing.
Authorities are also investigating whether negligence, collusion or other forms of criminal facilitation played a role in the incident.
Oil thieves allegedly tapped pipeline
According to YEAC-Nigeria, a group of youths allegedly connected a pipe to a tapping point on a pipeline that normally carries crude oil from Indorama Eleme Petrochemical through the Port Harcourt Refinery to vessels loading oil for export.
The suspected thieves allegedly diverted the product into their own boats.
The environmental group said many people were still unaccounted for, while some bodies had reportedly been seen floating in the river but had not yet been recovered.
Incident highlights Niger Delta oil theft problem
The reported deaths underscore the persistent dangers associated with crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism in Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta.
Illegal pipeline tapping has repeatedly resulted in deaths, environmental contamination and significant losses for Nigeria’s oil industry. The region is home to the country’s multi-billion-dollar oil and gas resources, but many communities continue to face poverty, pollution and the effects of decades of oil exploration.
The latest incident is reportedly the deadliest of its kind since at least October 2023.
Opposition blames economic hardship
The opposition African Democratic Congress attributed the incident to the country’s economic conditions, arguing that financial hardship was forcing people into increasingly desperate actions.
Nigeria has faced high inflation, rising fuel prices and increased poverty following economic reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu after he took office in 2023.
YEAC-Nigeria called on the government to create alternative livelihood opportunities for communities in the Niger Delta, including legalising artisanal oil refining.
