About 15 bodies, including children, are among those so far recovered in a midnight inferno at the Bonny-Bille-Nembe jetty in Port Harcourt.
The Rivers State Government, through the Commissioner for Special Duties, Onowu Emeka Anyasodike, has however said that only nine people have been confirmed dead but eyewitnesses said dozens died.
Anyasodike stated that the fire was caused by an explosion of gas in a cylinder in a boat containing illegally refined petroleum products.
He assured that the state government, in the next two weeks, would demolish shanties around the jetty.
Eyewitnesses said that despite the onslaught against illegal artisanal refiners by the state government, the affected Jetty remained a hub for the illegal business.
At the time of filing this report, efforts were on to recover more bodies as search and rescue efforts by relevant agencies and locals insisted that those burnt were about 30 people, including children.
They said most of the burnt passenger boats carried over 60 to 100 people.