At least 37 people die after attempting to siphon oil from a Niger Delta pipeline
An estimated 37 individuals lost their lives after inhaling fumes while trying to tap an oil pipeline in Okrika, Rivers State, according to an environmental group.
Around midnight on Thursday, a fatal incident unfolded at the Okari Jetty in Okrika, Rivers State, when a group of people tried to extract oil from a high-pressure pipeline. The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre said the victims were inhaling fumes as they attempted to siphon the product into boats, resulting in at least 37 deaths. Rivers police, represented by ASP Blessing Kaborlo Agabe, described the victims as crude-oil thieves and said an investigation is ongoing.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has not confirmed the casualty figures and is working with other agencies to determine the number of dead, injured and missing, as well as to probe any possible facilitation of the crime. This is the worst pipeline-theft fatality recorded since at least October 2023, highlighting the persistent problem of oil theft and vandalism in the Niger Delta.
How this was covered
- Left-leaning outlets covered this 4h later
Why it matters
The incident underscores the deadly risks of oil-theft in Nigeria's Niger Delta and its impact on community safety and the oil sector.
In this story
