Toxic Fumes Kill 37 Suspected Oil Thieves in Rivers

Tragedy struck in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State on Thursday, September 3rd, 2026 as no fewer than 37 persons suspected of involvement in illegal oil theft reportedly died after inhaling a petroleum-related substance at Okari Jetty.

Global Mirror News gathered that more than 100 persons, mostly youths from Okrika and neighbouring communities, had reportedly stormed the jetty in the early hours of Thursday to siphon petroleum products from a pipeline conveying products from the Indorama Eleme Petrochemical facility to the Port Harcourt Refinery and onward to vessels that regularly visit the area to load products for export.

According to eyewitness accounts, the suspected oil thieves arrived at the location with boats and were busy loading the petroleum product when a strong smell suddenly enveloped the area.

The fumes reportedly became overwhelming, causing several of the people at the scene to collapse.

Global Mirror News gathered that while some of the victims reportedly fell into the river, others managed to escape and were rushed to hospitals for emergency medical attention.

Several survivors are said to be receiving treatment for serious respiratory complications following the incident.

The circumstances surrounding the deaths remained unclear as of the time of filing this report, with authorities expected to determine the exact substance inhaled and establish how it led to the fatalities.

Confirming the incident to newsmen, the spokesperson of the Rivers State Police Command, SP Blessing Agabe, said an investigation had commenced to establish what happened.

Agabe said the Police received information that the victims died while allegedly attempting to steal crude oil, but noted that no official complaint had been lodged in connection with the incident at the time.

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

The latest incident has once again highlighted the dangers associated with illegal oil bunkering and unauthorised access to petroleum pipelines in the Niger Delta.

Illegal oil activities expose individuals to hazardous petroleum substances and other environmental and industrial risks, including toxic fumes, fires, explosions and drowning.

For residents and families in the affected communities, the incident has heightened concerns over the human cost of illegal oil theft and the need for stronger measures to prevent unauthorised access to oil infrastructure.

As of Thursday, the Police had not provided further information on the identities of the deceased or the total number of people affected by the incident.

Authorities are expected to provide further details as investigations progress and the circumstances surrounding the deaths become clearer.

Global Mirror News will continue to follow the development and provide updates as more verified information emerges.