Police Launch Probe Into Death Of 37 Suspected Oil Thieves In Rivers

We’re investigating cause of incident – Oil Company

What began as an alleged attempt to siphon petroleum products from a pipeline in the dead of night ended in tragedy in Okrika, Rivers State, with at least 37 people losing their lives after allegedly inhaling the substance.

Residents said the victims were caught up in the incident at Okari Jetty, Okrika Mainland, in the early hours of Thursday while attempting to load the product into waiting boats.

The Rivers State Police Command yesterday confirmed the death of 37 people, saying the victims were suspected oil thieves who allegedly died while attempting to steal crude oil from facilities linked to Indorama-Eleme Petrochemicals Company Limited.

The command, however, said it was still investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, even as the company said it was also probing the deaths.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Blessing Agabe, who confirmed the incident, said the victims were allegedly attempting to steal crude oil.

Agabe, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), said that although no official complaint had been lodged with the command, an investigation had commenced.

“The suspects reportedly died in the process of attempting to steal crude oil. However, no official complaint has been received regarding the incident at this time. Investigation is ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and ascertain the facts,” the police spokesperson stated.

Meanwhile, Indorama-Eleme Petrochemicals Company Limited said it was investigating the circumstances surrounding the deaths of no fewer than 37 people in Okrika town, Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), a civil society organisation, had raised the alarm over the deaths, alleging that the victims died after inhaling fuel from facilities linked to Indorama-Eleme Petrochemicals Company Limited.

Speaking with LEADERSHIP Friday, a native of Okrika, Thank-God Akpagbara, said most of those who died were elderly people.

Akpagbara insisted that the poisonous substance came from pipelines linked to Indorama-Eleme Petrochemicals Company Limited.

However, a spokesman for Indorama-Eleme Petrochemicals Company Limited, Justice Bibiye, said the company’s products pass through facilities belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

In a statement issued by its executive director, Dr Fyneface Dumnamene, YEAC-Nigeria alleged that the victims were suspected oil thieves who died after inhaling what is locally called “Indorama fuel”.

The organisation said many other people were still missing, adding that the incident occurred during the illegal loading of the product onto a ship at a tapping point.

The statement reads in part, “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 12am on Thursday, 3 September 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 organisation called on the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to conduct a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) to the site of the incident.

It also urged the companies that own the vandalised facilities to provide adequate security for their pipelines to prevent a recurrence of the fatal incident.

YEAC-Nigeria condemned the alleged sabotage by the youths and warned them to stay away from oil and gas infrastructure because of the dangers associated with such activities.

“While calling for an investigation into the incident, the Advocacy Centre also calls on the government to provide alternative livelihood opportunities, including the canvassed modular refineries and the legalisation of artisanal refining,” it said.

The organisation suggested the establishment of a 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.