In the predawn hours along a jetty in Okrika, Rivers State, at least 37 people perished while attempting to siphon crude oil from a loading vessel — most killed not by force, but by the invisible toxicity of the very resource they sought. The tragedy unfolds against a backdrop that is neither new nor simple: Nigeria's Niger Delta sits atop vast petroleum wealth yet remains mired in poverty, making illegal oil tapping less an act of criminality than a measure of desperation. As investigations continue and the missing remain unaccounted for, this incident stands as one of the deadliest of its ki
At least 37 dead in Nigeria oil theft attempt; authorities probe incident
At least 37 people died from inhaling hazardous fumes while attempting illegal oil siphoning; additional people remain missing and potentially lost in the water.