Lagos, Apr. 24, (dpa/GNA) – Scores of people burned to death this weekend following an explosion at an illegal oil refinery in south-eastern Nigeria, according to government officials.
“The incident claimed several lives especially those engaged in the illegal oil refining and bunkering,” said Idris Musa, director-general of Nigeria’s National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency. The explosion happened early on Saturday in the Egbema-Ndonia region of Rivers State.
There is no official death toll, but media reports put the number of dead at more than 100, due to the explosion and resulting fire. Videos from the scene viewed by dpa show dozens of corpses burned beyond recognition.
The reason for the blast is unknown. It could have happened when crude oil being refined came into contact with the fire being used to boil it as part of the refining process.
Musa said the fire had subsided. An investigation is underway.
Rivers State is part of Nigeria’s oil-producing Niger Delta region, where the bulk of Nigeria’s oil is exploited. Illegal oil refineries are common in the Niger Delta region.
There had been several similar incidents in the past, sometimes with even higher death tolls. Explosions also happen sometimes when operators of illegal refineries puncture oil pipelines to steal crude oil.
Nigeria is Africa’s largest exporter of crude oil, but a large quantity of the oil is lost to oil thieves.
GNA