The Rivers State Police Command has confirmed that lives were lost after a boat reportedly capsized during a confrontation between youths and men in military uniform over an oil spill in Kula, Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of the state.
Police said an investigation had begun to determine the exact number of casualties and the circumstances surrounding the incident, which occurred on Tuesday evening.
The oil spill was reportedly linked to the operations of a businessman whose vessel was being used to execute a contract in the area.
PUNCH Metro gathered on Wednesday that community members tried to stop the contractor’s operations pending remediation of the polluted environment and compensation for the damage caused by the spill.
The disagreement reportedly escalated when the uniformed personnel arrived at the scene in several gunboats and attempted to move the contractor’s vessel.
Youths from the community reportedly challenged the personnel, demanding to know why the vessel was being moved when their concerns over the pollution and demands for compensation had yet to be addressed.
The confrontation allegedly intensified as the uniformed men insisted on moving the vessel. In the ensuing chaos, one of the gunboats reportedly struck a boat conveying the youths, causing it to capsize.
