About 10 youths are feared dead after a boat reportedly capsized during a confrontation involving members of a community and men dressed in military uniforms over an alleged oil spill at Oil Mining Lease (OML) 55 in Kula, Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The incident reportedly occurred on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, following a dispute over an oil spill allegedly linked to operations involving a businessman with a contract in the area.
According to residents who spoke to Daily Trust, community members had attempted to halt further operations at the site pending the cleanup of the affected environment and payment of compensation for the alleged pollution.
The disagreement reportedly intensified when men in military uniforms arrived in several gunboats and attempted to move items belonging to the businessman from the location. Their arrival prompted youths from the community to intervene.
The youths reportedly questioned why the personnel were facilitating the movement of the items when the concerns over environmental pollution and compensation for affected residents had yet to be addressed.
The situation allegedly escalated as the uniformed men attempted to force their way through. During the confrontation, one of the gunboats reportedly collided with a boat carrying community youths, causing it to capsize and throwing its occupants into the water.
The youths aboard the capsized boat were feared to have drowned.
Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, a community leader and former spokesperson of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), confirmed the incident to journalists.
Sara-Igbe alleged that the arrival of the uniformed personnel worsened the situation and disrupted efforts to resolve the disagreement peacefully.
He called on the police and other relevant security authorities to investigate the incident and determine the circumstances surrounding the reported deaths.
According to him, the confrontation occurred as residents attempted to prevent what they described as a forceful return to the disputed site.
Sara-Igbe also said he had received reports that the personnel left the area after the incident. He added that the victims were reportedly all male, although their identities and other details had yet to be established.
Efforts were reportedly underway to recover the bodies and identify those feared dead.
As of the time of reporting, the full circumstances surrounding the incident remained unclear.
The spokesperson for the Nigerian Army’s 6 Division in Port Harcourt, Lieutenant Colonel Umar, could not be reached for comment.
The incident has raised concerns over the handling of disputes involving oil operations, environmental pollution and community demands for remediation and compensation in the Niger Delta.
However, the allegations surrounding the confrontation and the reported boat collision require further investigation by the relevant authorities.
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