Rivers Govt Keeps Mum Over Death Of 37 People In Okrika

The Rivers State government seems to be silent over the death of about 37 persons following the inhalation of fuel in Okirika town, Okrika local government area of the state.

Efforts by LEADERSHIP to get across to the state government for reaction proved abortive as the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the governor, Onwuka Nzechi, failed to pick his calls. Meanwhile, the Indorama-Eleme Petrochemicals Company Limited, has said it is investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of now fewer than 37 persons in Okrika town in Okrika local government area of Rivers State. A civil society organisation, the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) has raised the alarm over death of Okrika people following inhalation of fuel. The organisation has insisted that the deaths came as a result of Indorama activities in the area. Speaking with LEADERSHIP, an indigene of Okrika, Thank-God Akpagbara, said most of those that died were elderly people. Akpagbara insisted that the poisonous substance came from the pipelines linked to Indorama-Eleme Petrochemicals Company Limited. But, spokesman if Indorama-Eleme Petrochemicals Company Limited, Justice Bibiye said the company’s products pass through facilities of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). The organisation, YEAC-Nigeria, had in a statement issued by it’s executive director, Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene, alleged that persons suspected to be oil thieves died after inhaling what is locally called “Indorama Fuel.” The statement, which stated that many others were still missing, said the incident occurred during the illegal loading of the product into a ship at a tapping point. The statement reads in part, “The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) has received and confirmed a report from its network of youth volunteers and human rights defenders in the Niger Delta in the Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State that some persons, not fewer than 37 have been confirmed dead after inhaling “Indorama fuel. “According to the report, no fewer than 37 persons suspected to be oil thieves died after inhaling what is locally called “Indorama Fuel.” Many others are still missing. The incident occurred during the illegal loading of the product into a ship at a tapping point. “The incident is said to have occurred at about 12:00AM on Thursday, September 3, 2026, at the Okari Jetty, Okrika Mainland area. “According to the report, with accompanying photographs sent to the Executive Director of Advocacy Centre, Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, the volunteers said the youths had connected a pipe to a tapping point on a pipeline that normally transports product from Indorama Eleme Petrochemical through the Port Harcourt Refinery to vessels that come every two weeks to load for export. “The report further stated that 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. This led to the death of not fewer than 37 persons. Many are still missing, and some corpses have been seen floating on the river but have not yet been recovered. “The organization calls on the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to carry out a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) to the site of this incident. We also call on the companies that own the vandalized facilities to provide adequate security on their pipelines to prevent a recurrence of this ugly incident. “The Advocacy Centre condemns this act of sabotage by the youths and warns them to stay away from oil and gas infrastructure due to the high pressure and associated dangers. “While calling for investigation into the incident, the ADVOCACY CENTRE also calls on the government to provide alternative livelihood opportunities, including the canvassed modular refineries and the legalization of artisanal refining. “This can be achieved through the establishment of YEAC-Nigeria’s proposed Presidential Artisanal Crude Oil Refining Development Initiative (PACORDI) as well as the proposed Niger Delta Industrial Park to provide alternative opportunities for displaced artisanal refiners in the Niger Delta.”