By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
The Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) has called for an urgent investigation into the deaths reported at Okari Jetty Creeks in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State and demanded stronger protection for communities living around petroleum infrastructure across the Niger Delta.
The environmental advocacy group made the call amid conflicting reports surrounding an incident that reportedly claimed several lives after victims were allegedly exposed to petroleum fumes, while some accounts also suggested an explosion occurred in the area.
Initial reports indicated that as many as 37 persons were feared dead after allegedly inhaling fumes from a petroleum product locally known as “Indorama fuel,” technically referred to as CRACK C5. However, security agencies have provided varying accounts of the casualty figures.
While the Rivers State Police Command confirmed the incident and said investigations were ongoing, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) reported recovering four corpses and stated that the earlier casualty estimates had not been fully verified.
Conflicting narratives have also emerged regarding the circumstances leading to the tragedy. Some reports linked the victims to attempts to access petroleum products from a pipeline, while relatives and community members disputed the claim.
One widow reportedly identified her deceased husband as a fisherman, raising questions about the exact circumstances surrounding the incident.
Reacting to the development, HOMEF urged authorities and the public to avoid drawing conclusions until the facts are fully established.
The organisation’s Executive Director, Dr. Nnimmo Bassey, described the incident as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by communities situated near oil and gas facilities.
According to him, there has yet to be an official or independent investigation to determine the precise cause of the fatalities.
He noted that the victims may have been exposed to toxic gases released under pressure, suffered asphyxiation from inhaling hazardous substances, or drowned after losing consciousness.
Dr. Bassey said the tragedy highlights decades of hydrocarbon pollution and environmental degradation in the Niger Delta, warning that communities continue to bear the consequences of inadequate environmental safeguards.
He expressed hope that the incident would compel oil companies and government agencies to take stronger measures to protect both human lives and the environment.
The environmentalist also drew attention to other unresolved petroleum-related hazards in the region, including the wellhead fire at Ofiomina-Ama in Okrika, Rivers State, which has reportedly been burning since February 2024.
He further referenced the Ororo-1 oil well fire off the coast of Awoye in Ondo State, said to have been burning since May 2020, as well as reports of methane bubbling in Bille, Rivers State, since December 2025.
Dr. Bassey warned that crude oil spills, gas flaring and persistent petroleum fires expose communities to dangerous substances, including benzene, hydrogen sulphide and other volatile hydrocarbons known to cause severe health complications.
He argued that the continued pollution of creeks and rivers by petroleum operations poses a significant threat to public health and the environment.
HOMEF therefore called on the Federal Government, state governments, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), as well as petroleum operators and regulators, to strengthen safety measures around oil facilities.
The group urged authorities to ensure proper maintenance and security of petroleum infrastructure, establish effective emergency response systems and provide communities with adequate information about potential hazards.
It also called for the installation of warning systems, environmental monitoring mechanisms and emergency preparedness plans in vulnerable communities.
The organisation stressed that the Okrika incident should not be viewed solely through the lens of oil theft, noting that even if illegal tampering is eventually established, the broader risks associated with aging and hazardous petroleum infrastructure must be addressed.
HOMEF further advocated the decommissioning of obsolete oil facilities and the restoration of polluted environments across the Niger Delta.
The group also renewed calls for the implementation of the Bayelsa State Oil and Environment Commission Report and urged authorities to adopt a just approach to decommissioning aging petroleum infrastructure.
It commiserated with the families of those who lost their lives and called for support for affected communities, while demanding a transparent investigation to establish the actual casualty figures and circumstances surrounding the Okrika tragedy.
