Rescue teams have intensified the search for missing victims of a boat collision along the Robertkiri waterways in Kula, Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State, after eight people were rescued alive and several others were feared dead.
The incident occurred on Tuesday evening when a tugboat and a speedboat carrying more than 15 people collided amid tensions over the attempted removal of an oil vessel operated by a company linked to the Ibeto Group.
A community source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said police officers, community chiefs and other Kula indigenes searched nearby creeks and waterways but had not recovered any bodies as of Wednesday night.
“Eight persons were rescued alive from the boat mishap. However, they were unable to find the bodies of any of the victims as of Wednesday night,” the source said on Thursday morning.
The exact number of casualties remained unconfirmed as rescue operations continued.
The Rivers State Police Command had confirmed the loss of life on Wednesday, with its spokesperson, Blessing Agabe, saying investigations were underway to establish the number of casualties and the circumstances surrounding the incident.
“Investigation is ongoing to ascertain the exact number of casualties and the circumstances surrounding the incident,” Agabe said.
When contacted on Thursday morning for an update, the police spokesperson said there was no new information available.
The incident reportedly occurred during efforts to remove a 200,000-barrel-capacity floating oil vessel, identified as Anambra Basin FSO, from the area. The tugboat involved was reportedly manned by security personnel.
Community members alleged that they had been protesting the vessel’s departure over claims of water pollution, unpaid local vendor bills and outstanding royalties owed to host communities.
The allegations have not been independently established, and the circumstances that led to the collision remain under investigation.
Ibeto Group denies responsibility
The Ibeto Group, through its subsidiary, Max Shipping Services Limited, has denied that its chairman, Dr Cletus Ibeto, was directly responsible for the circumstances surrounding the incident.
In a statement issued on Wednesday evening and signed by the company’s legal adviser, Ikeh Chidinma Sylvia, the company said reports linking the vessel’s recovery to alleged pollution, the deployment of armed personnel and the boat collision contained allegations that required proper investigation.
The company acknowledged ownership of the Anambra Basin FSO but said it neither operated the oilfield nor controlled the underlying petroleum operations in the community.
According to the statement, the vessel had been hired to Menal Technical Services Limited under a Marine Equipment Hire Agreement dated September 20, 2024, which was subsequently amended through an addendum.
Max Shipping Services said it sought to retrieve its equipment following prolonged outstanding hire payments. It added that the crude oil previously stored in the vessel had been discharged before the demobilisation effort.
The company’s account places the vessel’s recovery within a contractual dispute over outstanding payments, while community members have linked their protest to broader grievances over environmental concerns and obligations to local businesses and host communities.
The competing accounts have yet to be fully reconciled, and no final findings have been announced regarding the cause of the collision or responsibility for the reported deaths.
As search efforts continue, attention remains focused on locating the missing victims, determining the full casualty figure and establishing the circumstances surrounding the boat mishap.
The incident has also brought renewed attention to tensions between host communities and companies involved in oil-related operations in the Niger Delta, particularly disputes over environmental protection, contractual obligations and payments to local stakeholders.
