At Least 37 Dead in Nigeria Amid Illegal Oil Pipeline Tapping
At least 37 people have died from inhaling oil fumes while allegedly attempting to siphon crude oil from a pipeline in Nigeria's Niger Delta, with several more still missing.
Nigeria, one of Africa's largest oil-producing nations, has been hit by another tragedy linked to its long-standing problem of illegal oil pipeline tapping. The latest incident occurred in the oil-rich Niger Delta in the country's south, a region where smugglers routinely connect illicit pipes to official pipelines to extract crude oil, which is then processed into fuel for resale.
Details of the incident
The non-governmental organization "The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre" received and confirmed reports that at least 37 people died in the Okrika local government area of Rivers State. The deaths are believed to have been caused by inhaling oil vapors. Those who died are presumed to have been involved in oil theft, while several other people remain unaccounted for.
According to available information, young men had illegally attached a pipe to the main pipeline used to transport crude oil from an extraction site operated by Indorama Eleme Petrochemical, through the Port Harcourt refinery, to vessels where the oil is loaded for export.
Police response
Local police confirmed that the incident took place but did not officially disclose the exact number of dead or injured. Illegal oil siphoning remains a widespread and dangerous practice in Nigeria, periodically leading to severe tragedies, as people die from inhaling toxic fumes or in explosions and fires caused by illicit oil extraction and processing.
