By Olusegun Samuel Precious
A wave of disquiet has gripped Okrika mainland in Rivers State following unconfirmed reports that about 40 persons allegedly lost their lives while attempting to steal petroleum products near a local jetty.
A fact-finding visit to the area revealed a palpable atmosphere of caution, with many residents and shopkeepers declining to comment on the matter.
At the Okari Ama Jetty, security personnel—including officers from the Nigerian Navy and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)—denied knowledge of any mass casualty event at the facility over the preceding 24 hours.
Similarly, several individuals present near the government-owned facility expressed unawareness of the event.
However, sources near the ATC Passenger Jetty indicated that any potential incident likely occurred deeper within the surrounding riverine creeks, which are accessible only by watercraft.
Unconfirmed local reports suggest that affected individuals may have been evacuated from the scene, with some reportedly receiving medical treatment while others were moved to mortuaries.
Despite the underlying tension and circulating rumors, general commercial activities and public movement across Okrika mainland have remained largely uninterrupted.
