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By Innocent Okoh
At least 37 suspected oil thieves have been confirmed dead in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State after inhaling petroleum product locally called “Indorama Fuel” during illegal loading at a tapping point.
The incident occurred at about 12:00AM on Thursday, September 3, 2026, at Okari Jetty, Okrika Mainland, according to the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre, YEAC-Nigeria.
In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, the group said its network of youth volunteers confirmed that the victims connected a pipe to a pipeline that conveys product from Indorama Eleme Petrochemical through the Port Harcourt Refinery to export vessels.
“While a vessel was loading the product and the men were simultaneously loading into their waiting boats from the illegal tapping point, they inhaled the product being pumped at high pressure,” the statement said.
The group added that many others are still missing, with some corpses reportedly seen floating on the river but yet to be recovered.
YEAC-Nigeria condemned the act of sabotage and warned youths to stay away from oil and gas infrastructure due to the high pressure and associated dangers.
The organization called on the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA, to carry out a Joint Investigation Visit, JIV, to the site. It also urged companies that own the vandalized facilities to provide adequate security on their pipelines to prevent a recurrence.
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To address the root cause, YEAC-Nigeria called on government to provide alternative livelihoods through modular refineries and the legalization of artisanal refining. It specifically proposed its Presidential Artisanal Crude Oil Refining Development Initiative, PACORDI, and a Niger Delta Industrial Park for displaced artisanal refiners.
