Niger Delta pipeline incident sparks dispute over death toll

A dispute has emerged regarding the death toll following a fatal incident involving a pipeline in the Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria. The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) reported that 37 people died after inhaling toxic petroleum fumes during an attempt to load fuel from an illegally tapped pipeline at Okari Jetty.

Local reports suggest that over 200 youths had gathered in boats to siphon product from the Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals pipeline. Witnesses stated that a pungent odor filled the air, causing many to collapse or fall into the river. While YEAC-Nigeria claims 37 deaths and several missing persons, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps stated that only four bodies had been recovered, suggesting initial figures may have been overstated.

Indorama has denied that any such incident occurred along its pipeline corridor, labeling the claims “blatant lies.” However, YEAC-Nigeria maintains they possess photographic and video evidence to support their report. Security forces have since deployed to the area, restricting media access to the site.