At least 10 people are feared dead after a community passenger boat capsized during a confrontation over an oil spill blockade in Kula Kingdom, located within the Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State.
​The disaster occurred in the waterways of Kula Kingdom on Tuesday, October 20, when local residents and youth groups mounted a protest and riverine blockade surrounding an offshore crude oil vessel linked to operations in the OML 55 oilfield area.
Tensions rapidly escalated when armed personnel aboard military gunboats intervened, culminating in a violent encounter where a gunboat reportedly collided with the passenger craft, causing it to capsize and throw dozens of protesters into the river.
​Confirming that an investigation into the disaster has commenced, Rivers State Police Command official ASP Grace Agabe stated on Wednesday, October 21, that police operatives are actively working to establish the precise casualty count and the sequence of events that led to the incident, noting that investigations remain ongoing to ascertain the exact circumstances.
​Addressing allegations regarding military involvement in the collision, Lt. Col. Umar, spokesperson for the Nigerian Army’s 6 Division based in Port Harcourt, indicated that the military command was not initially informed of the collision but committed to conducting inquiries into the operations in Kula.
​Meanwhile, civil rights advocates have raised severe concerns over the lethal escalation of energy-sector disputes. Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, Executive Director of the Youth and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria),
expressed deep concern over the tragic loss of life during community protests and urged security agencies to conduct an immediate, transparent, and independent inquiry into the altercation.
​In response to the escalating crisis, the operating oil company expressed sadness over the reported loss of life and appealed to all community stakeholders to remain calm, refrain from further violence, and allow statutory authorities to complete their investigations. Emergency recovery teams and local security forces remain stationed along the Kula waterways as search efforts continue.
