{
  "id": 5361895,
  "title": "Suspected Crude oil thieves choke to death in Rivers",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/03/suspected-crude-oil-thieves-choke-to-death-in-rivers",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-03T14:28:15.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Trust",
    "slug": "daily-trust",
    "url": "https://dailytrust.com/suspected-crude-oil-thieves-choke-to-death-in-rivers/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In a grim incident at Okari Jetty in Okirika Local Government Area, Rivers State, 37 suspected oil thieves are believed to have died after inhaling a substance while loading crude product into their boats. The tragedy occurred around 12am on Thursday when a vessel began loading the petroleum product for export from an illegally tapped point. The pungent odor of the crude saturated the air, causing many of the thieves to collapse into the river or suffer respiratory challenges. Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, Executive Director of Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), confirmed the incident, stating that 37 persons had been confirmed dead and many are still missing. The victims had tapped into a pipeline connected to the Indorama Eleme Petrochemical and the Port Harcourt Refinery, supplying product to vessels that loaded every two weeks. Dr. Fyneface called for a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) by the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and urged the owners of the vandalized facilities to secure their pipelines.",
  "summary": "No fewer than 37 suspected oil thieves were choked to death after inhaling substance from the stolen crude product they were loading in their boats at Okari Jetty, Okirika Local Government Area, Rivers State. Daily Trust gathered that the incident occurred at the early hours of Thursday, as the suspected oil thieves were loading the […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Punch Nigeria",
        "title": "37 suspected oil thieves die after inhaling substance in Rivers",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/03/37-suspected-oil-thieves-die-after-inhaling-substance-in-rivers",
        "published": "2026-09-03T12:56:29.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}