PORT HARCOURT, Rivers State — Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has pledged a thorough investigation into a boat tragedy in Kula Community, Akuku-Toru Local Government Area, following reports that 10 people died during a confrontation linked to an oilfield operation.
The governor gave the assurance on Thursday, October 22, 2026, after members of the Kula Community staged a peaceful march to the Government House in Port Harcourt to demand government intervention and accountability over the incident.
Fubara, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Sunny Ewule, sympathised with the bereaved families and urged residents to remain calm while authorities investigate the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
He warned that anyone found culpable would face the full weight of the law, stressing that the state government would not ignore the loss of lives.
“We want to sympathise with the Kula Community and the bereaved families. Anybody who is involved in this incident or found culpable for whatever happened will definitely pay for it according to the law,” the governor said through his representative.
He added that his administration would pursue the matter to establish what happened and prevent residents from suffering what he described as unnecessary loss of life.
The community delegation was led by Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, who said they visited the Government House to formally report the incident and seek the governor’s intervention.
Sara-Igbe said the community wanted the authorities to address the matter through lawful means rather than allow anger over the deaths to trigger further unrest.
“It is proper we inform him because we don’t want to take the law into our hands. We have the capacity to react, but we don’t want to react,” he said.
Sara-Igbe disclosed that five bodies had been recovered as of Thursday. He said the recovered bodies were expected to be taken to the Rivers State Government House before being moved to the headquarters of the Rivers State Police Command in Port Harcourt.
The incident reportedly occurred on Tuesday evening in the Robertkiri waterways of Kula Kingdom, amid tensions over the planned removal of an oil vessel associated with operations at Oil Mining Lease 55.
Reports indicate that community members had raised concerns about an alleged oil spill and demanded environmental remediation and compensation before further operations proceeded. The disagreement reportedly escalated when men in uniform arrived in gunboats during the vessel-retrieval operation.
Community accounts allege that a boat carrying residents capsized during the confrontation. However, the precise sequence of events, the circumstances of the capsize and the responsibility of those involved remain under investigation.
The Rivers State Police Command has confirmed that it is investigating the incident to establish the circumstances surrounding the reported deaths and determine the exact number of casualties.
Max Shipping Services Limited, the company that owns the vessel identified in reports about the incident, has expressed sadness over the reported loss of lives but denied responsibility for the tragedy. The company said its involvement was limited to ownership and retrieval of the vessel, which it had hired to Menal Technical Services Limited.
The company also called for an investigation, maintaining that its ownership of the vessel should be distinguished from the operational responsibilities of other parties involved in the oilfield activities.
As investigations continue, the Kula Community is seeking answers over the deaths, while families await clarity about the fate of those affected. The governor’s pledge has raised expectations that the authorities will establish the facts and take appropriate action based on the findings.
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