Death Toll Uncertain After Okrika Jetty Gas Incident

By Polycarp Nwaeke Reports have emerged over the number of people who died following an incident involving a suspected petroleum product at a jetty in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State. While some reports put the death toll at 43, another account said more than 10 people had been found dead, with several others reportedly missing. The incident occurred on Tuesday and has raised concerns among communities in the area. Initial reports alleged that the victims were involved in illegal oil activities. According to that account, they arrived at the jetty in a locally made boat while a vessel was loading petroleum products for export. It was further reported that more than 200 people, mostly youths from the host community and neighbouring communities, were at the jetty and allegedly attempted to siphon petroleum products through an illegal tapping point on a pipeline. The victims were said to have inhaled the substance while it was being pumped under high pressure. However, another account gathered by journalists disputed the claim that the victims were involved in oil theft. Residents of communities where some of the victims lived said they were fishing at a creek near the four-pipeline axis when the incident occurred. They alleged that an explosion occurred at the site, releasing a substance that the victims inhaled. The residents also said the flow of the river made it difficult for some of the victims to escape. Arabisia Minayo, the wife of one of the victims, said her husband had no connection with illegal oil activities. She told journalists that the incident occurred on Tuesday and that her husband had already been buried according to their customs. Minayo said: 'Yesterday, we did not see my husband. I called my children and told them that their father had not come back. Let's go and look for him. Before long, somebody gave us the message that they had seen three dead bodies at the creek and asked us to check if their father was among them. 'Quickly, they ran down to the place and, when they got there, they saw dead bodies lying there. They brought them back, and one of them happened to be my husband. When they brought him, foam was coming out of his mouth. They said he inhaled gas through his nose.' One of his sons also confirmed his father's death, saying the family was yet to establish the exact number of people who died. 'Unfortunately, my father was one of the people who died. According to reports, there were many deaths, but we don't really know how many. They said the deaths were as a result of a gas explosion,' he said. An elder brother of another victim also narrated how his younger brother, identified as Dennis, died. He said: 'The death of my brother was a shock to me. Yesterday, sometime after 10 in the morning, we went out to look for Dennis. As we were going, we saw people fishing, and they called us and told us that they had seen dead bodies and that we should come and check if my brother Dennis was among them. 'I went there and saw my brother. Other people were also there trying to identify their dead relatives. I put my brother in a boat and took him home.' Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Command has confirmed that people died in the incident but has not disclosed the number of fatalities. The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Blessing Agabe,said the victims were allegedly attempting to steal crude oil. She added that investigation into the incident was ongoing.