The incident occurred at Okari Jetty in the early hours of Thursday when more than 100 people reportedly arrived at the waterfront in small boats to collect petroleum products believed to have been obtained illegally from a pipeline.
Several victims reportedly collapsed after being exposed to the fumes. Local reports indicate that some people fell into the Bonny River, while others were taken to nearby hospitals for medical attention.
The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC), an environmental rights organisation, said its network of volunteers and human rights defenders confirmed multiple deaths linked to the incident.
According to the group, residents commonly refer to the petroleum product involved as “Indorama fuel”, a locally used term for refined Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
The Rivers State Police Command said it had commenced an investigation to establish the number of casualties and determine exactly what happened.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) also urged the public and media organisations to rely on verified information as security agencies work to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
The corps condemned pipeline tapping and the illegal siphoning of petroleum products, warning that the practice poses serious risks to lives, the environment and the Nigerian economy.
Oil theft has remained a major challenge in the Niger Delta for decades, with criminal networks frequently targeting pipelines to steal crude oil and petroleum products. The stolen products are often transported through the region’s waterways or diverted to illegal refining sites for onward sale.
Security agencies have intensified operations against oil theft across Rivers and other oil-producing states, including patrols of waterways and raids on illegal refining facilities hidden within the region’s dense mangrove forests.
The Nigerian Navy has also vowed to sustain its crackdown on oil theft.
The Director of Naval Information, Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, said on Thursday that criminals involved in the activity would have no safe haven, warning that those apprehended would be prosecuted.
Nigeria is currently seeking to boost crude oil production after years of declining output associated with pipeline vandalism, oil theft, insecurity and inadequate investment.
The country has set a target of increasing production to about three million barrels per day by 2030 as part of broader efforts to strengthen the oil industry and attract new investment.
