Nigeria, Nov. 2 -- The Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) has condemned the circumstances surrounding the deaths of seven people in Kula Kingdom, Rivers State, warning that commercial interests in Nigeria's petroleum industry must never take precedence over human lives and environmental protection.

The environmental advocacy group said the 20 October boat tragedy, which occurred during a protest over the removal of an offshore crude oil vessel, exposed the dangers of an oil-dependent economic system that prioritises resource extraction and commercial interests over the safety and livelihoods of host communities.

In a statement issued on 29 October and signed by its Media and Communications Officer, Kome Odhomor, HOMEF said the in...