37 Suspected Illegal Oil Bunkerers Die After Inhaling Toxic Fumes in Rivers
Mirian Gom 
RIVERS, Nigeria – No fewer than 37 suspected illegal oil bunkerers have died after inhaling toxic petroleum fumes while attempting to siphon crude oil at Okari Jetty in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The tragic incident, which occurred around midnight on Thursday, has left the coastal community in shock, with several other persons still reported missing.
According to community sources, more than 100 youths from Okrika and neighbouring communities had converged on the jetty in locally made boats to illegally collect petroleum products from a vandalised pipeline while a vessel was simultaneously loading crude oil for export.
Witnesses said a powerful concentration of petroleum fumes suddenly filled the atmosphere during the operation, causing many of those at the scene to collapse.
Several victims reportedly fell into the river, while others who escaped suffered severe respiratory complications and were rushed to nearby hospitals.
A community source disclosed that at least 37 victims had been identified as Okrika indigenes, while six other bodies remained unidentified.
The source added that many people were still missing as search efforts continued.
The Executive Director, Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene, said the organisation received reports from its network of volunteers confirming that dozens of people died after inhaling what residents described as “Indorama Fuel.”
According to him, the victims had connected hoses to a vandalised pipeline transporting petroleum products from the Indorama Eleme Petrochemical Company through the Port Harcourt Refinery to export vessels.
Some bodies, he added, were still floating on the river and had yet to be recovered.
The Commander of the Civilian Joint Task Force (JTF) in Okrika, Igwe Godswill, described the incident as devastating, said many of the victims had ventured out in search of a means of survival before they were overcome by the toxic fumes.
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Hope Ajayi 