By Obiabin Onukwugha
No fewer than ten persons have reportedly lost their lives after a boat capsized during a protest in Kula community, Akuku-Toru local government area of Rivers State, over environmental pollution and unresolved disagreement at OML-55.
It was gathered that the incident occurred early hours of Wednesday after community members protesting alleged unpaid royalties, outstanding vendor payments and environmental pollution blocked the movement of MT Anambra Basin, a Floating Storage Tank belonging to Ibeto Group.
Community sources said the protesters are demanding compensation, relief materials and environmental clean-up, as more than 36 communities and fishing settlements have been affected by pollution arising from operations of the company.
A community leader in Kula, Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, who confirmed the incident to newsmen, said a confrontation erupted when military personnel allegedly arrived to move the vessel, triggering a clash with youths.
Sara-Igbe, who is also former spokesman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), said community members had sought to stop further operations pending the remediation of the affected environment and compensation.
He explained that the situation escalated when military personnel sent to forcefully take the vessel out of the community arrived the scene, leading to a confrontation with community youths.
“They refused to pay and they refused to employ. Even at the expiration of his contract with the NNPC, the community refused to let the vessel go because it has a lot to settle with the community,” he said.
Sara-Igbe alleged that the deployment of military personnel undermined the efforts to resolve the dispute peacefully. “In the process of settling, then, all of a sudden, I got a call this morning that they have sent in six gunboats to forcefully take the vessel from the community. The community resisted them from taking the vessel.
“In the process, one of the boats owned used by the community was hit by a tug boat and the boat sank. In the process, ten persons including two Amama soldiers from Asari Dokubo drowned in the river and died,” he said.
He further alleged that the gunboats abandoned the drowning victims without rescue efforts, insisting that the deployment was not authorised by the military authority covering the area.
He said the incident has been reported to the Rivers State Police Command and the 6 Division, Nigerian Army.
The PANDEF chieftian added that recovery efforts were ongoing and the incident had been reported to the Rivers State Police Command and the 6 Division, Nigerian Army.
Reacting to the incident, environmental advocacy body, Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), called for an investigation, while appealing to the community to maintain peace.
The body in a statement by its Executive Director, Dr. Dumnamene Fyneface, expressed shock over the incident saying, “While we acknowledge the right of communities to peacefully protest environmental pollution and demand corporate accountability, we also condemn any militarization of civil oil and gas disputes that results in loss of lives.”
YEAC-NIGERIA demanded that the Rivers State Police Command and the Nigerian Navy should jointly and transparently investigate the immediate and remote causes of the boat capsize and the circumstances surrounding the military deployment to Kula.
It also called on the Rivers State Government, NIMASA, NIWA and the company to intensify search, rescue and recovery efforts and provide emergency support to affected families.
“The management of Ibeto Group and security agencies should embrace dialogue rather than force in dealing with host community grievances. Ibeto Group should urgently address the underlying issues raised by the Kula community including the alleged oil spill remediation in the Kula River and settlement of verified local debts.
“No crude oil vessel is worth the blood of community people. The Niger Delta has seen too many avoidable deaths over oil.
“We call for calm in Kula and urge youth leadership including the National Youth Council of Nigeria that intervened to continue to maintain peace while justice and accountability are pursued,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, authorities of the Ibeto Group has denied links with the incident.
A statement by Legal Officer to Max Shipping Services Limited, Ikeh Chidimma Sylvia, clarified that the the company is not the operator of the oilfield or the underlying petroleum operations at Kula community.
“Max Shipping Services Limited is the owner of ANAMBRA BASIN FSO, not the operator of the oilfield or the underlying petroleum operations at Kula community,” it said.
The statement pointed out that the vessel was hired to Menal Technical Services Limited under a Marine Equipment Hire Agreement dated 20 September 2024, subsequently amended by an Addendum. “Our company’s contractual relationship in respect of the vessel was with Menal Technical Services Limited. We were not a party to the separate operational arrangements that Menal or the end user may have had with the host community,” the statement read in part.
It further clarified that under the Hire Agreement, Menal Technical Services Limited assumed specified responsibilities relating to operational exigencies, community settlements, security of the vessel and personnel, and demobilisation. “Following prolonged outstanding hire payments and repeated efforts to obtain settlement, Max Shipping Services Limited exercised its contractual right to retrieve its equipment.
“Before the demobilisation effort, the crude oil stored in the vessel had been discharged. Tank inspection documents issued by Checkirem and GSV Inspection Services Limited in September 2026 recorded that the inspected tanks were free and clean of crude oil at the time of inspection.
“We sought a peaceful resolution rather than confrontation.We are therefore deeply concerned by reports that have attributed responsibility for the incident and the alleged loss of life to our Chairman, Chief Dr. Cletus Madubugwu Ibeto, or have presented the vessel’s recovery operation as an operation undertaken by him in connection with the underlying oilfield activities,” the statement read in part.
