Ten folks have been reportedly killed after a ship capsized throughout a confrontation over the elimination of an oil vessel in Kula Kingdom, Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The Police Command in Rivers State confirmed the incident however stated investigations have been ongoing to ascertain the precise variety of casualties and the circumstances surrounding the tragedy, The Guardian reported on Friday.
The incident reportedly occurred on Tuesday night amid tensions over the deliberate elimination of the Anambra Basin FSO, a floating storage and offloading vessel owned by Max Shipping Services Limited.
Community members had opposed the vessel’s elimination, citing an alleged oil spill and demanding environmental remediation and compensation.
Sukubo Sara-Igbe, a Kula indigene and president of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, advised Guardian that six gunboats arrived in the course of the operation and {that a} boat conveying neighborhood members capsized in the course of the confrontation.
Fubara guarantees justice
Mr Fubara promised that anybody discovered chargeable for the “death of 10 persons” would face the legislation, based on a press release issued by the Rivers State Government House and emailed to PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday evening.
Represented by his Chief of Staff, Sunny Ewule, the governor gave the reassurance when Kula residents staged a peaceable march to Government House in Port Harcourt to hunt authorities intervention.
“We wish to sympathise with the Kula Community and the bereaved households.
“Anybody who is involved in this incident or found culpable for whatever happened will definitely pay for it according to the law. We are not going to sit by and allow Rivers indigenes to go through this type of unnecessary death,” he stated.
The governor urged residents to stay calm and keep away from taking the legislation into their very own fingers.
Earlier, neighborhood delegation chief Anabs Sara-Igbe stated they approached the federal government as a result of they needed justice with out resorting to violence.
“It is proper we inform him (Fubara) because we don’t want to take the law into our hands. We have the capacity to react, but we don’t want to react,” he stated.
Vessel proprietor denies duty
Max Shipping Services Limited, the vessel’s proprietor, expressed disappointment over the reported deaths however denied duty for the oilfield operations, based on a Guardian newspaper report.
READ ALSO: Police arrest four suspects over killing of police inspector, civilian in Rivers
The firm stated the vessel had been employed to Menal Technical Services Limited below a marine tools rent settlement and that the contractor had particular contractual tasks regarding operations, neighborhood settlements, safety and demobilisation.
It stated it initiated the retrieval of the vessel after extended excellent rent funds and unsuccessful efforts to safe settlement. The firm additionally maintained that the crude oil beforehand saved within the vessel had been discharged earlier than the retrieval train.
The circumstances surrounding the confrontation and the boat’s capsizing stay below investigation.
Rivers’ recurring boat tragedies
The newest incident provides to a historical past of deadly boat accidents in Rivers State.
In January 2025, police confirmed that three folks, together with a toddler, died after a passenger boat travelling from Port Harcourt to Bonny capsized throughout a storm. Nineteen passengers have been rescued.
In January 2024, 11 folks, together with 5 infants, died after two boats capsized in Rivers State, PREMIUM TIMES reported.
The newest tragedy differs from these incidents as a result of it reportedly occurred amid a confrontation linked to an oil vessel’s elimination and neighborhood grievances over alleged environmental air pollution.
Authorities are anticipated to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident, affirm the casualty determine and decide whether or not anybody must be held accountable.
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