The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Rivers State Command, has opened an investigation into the deaths of at least 37 people at Okari Jetty, Okrika Local Government Area.
The incident occurred around midnight on Thursday, September 3, 2026, during an alleged attempt to siphon petroleum products from an illegal tapping point. Several people reportedly succumbed to fumes, while some were said to have fallen into the river.
Although at least 37 deaths have been reported, the NSCDC said on Friday, September 4, 2026, that the figure remained provisional, with efforts ongoing to establish the number of people killed, injured or missing.
The command’s Special Assistant on Media and Communication, Olufemi Ayodele, said investigators were working with other security agencies and relevant stakeholders to establish the circumstances of the incident.
The State Commandant, Dr Dennis Reuben, condoled with the affected families and communities and assured that the circumstances surrounding the deaths would be thoroughly investigated.
The corps said the substance responsible for the fumes had not been conclusively identified and would be subjected to technical verification.
It said investigators would examine access to the site, the boats and persons present, the condition of the petroleum infrastructure and any evidence of negligence, collusion or other criminal involvement.
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The Rivers State Police Command has also confirmed the deaths, saying preliminary information linked the incident to an alleged attempt to steal crude oil.
The NSCDC condemned illegal petroleum tapping and siphoning, warning that such activities endanger lives, pollute the environment and threaten critical national infrastructure.
It said surveillance, intelligence gathering, waterways patrols and rapid-response operations had been intensified across vulnerable locations and pipeline corridors in the state.
The command added that two newly deployed gunboats, approved by NSCDC Commandant-General Prof Ahmed Abubakar Audi, had strengthened its maritime security operations.
It warned those involved in pipeline vandalism, illegal bunkering and related economic crimes to desist or face the law.
The corps said it would continue collaborating with the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Army, Department of State Services, police, government agencies, petroleum-sector stakeholders and host communities to protect critical national assets.
The Okrika incident comes against a backdrop of recurring deaths linked to illegal oil operations in Rivers State. In October 2023, at least 15 people, including a pregnant woman, died in an explosion at an illegal refining site in Emohua Local Government Area.
The latest tragedy has again highlighted the deadly risks associated with crude theft and unsafe petroleum operations in the Niger Delta, as authorities work to establish the final casualty figure and exact cause of the deaths.