Nigeria oil refinery blast: Nigeria is Africa’s largest producer of crude oil. (Representational)
Port Harcourt, Nigeria:
A number of folks had been feared burnt to demise in a single day following an explosion at an unlawful oil refinery in southern Nigeria, an NGO stated Saturday.
Police confirmed the explosion, saying it had occurred late on Friday, however didn’t give particulars of casualties.
“A number of our bodies burnt past recognition lay on the bottom whereas others who could have tried working for security are seen hanging on some tree branches,” stated Fyneface Dumnamene, Govt Director of Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC).
Native media studies stated over 100 folks had been killed within the blast, the most recent in Nigeria, Africa’s largest producer of crude.
Police stated there had been an explosion on the web site of an unlawful refinery late Friday the place operators and their patrons had gathered for enterprise.
“The incident occurred on the boundary between Rivers and Imo state,” Rivers state police spokeswoman Grace Iringe-Koko instructed AFP, with out giving particulars.
Unlawful crude refining is widespread within the southern-oil area the place oil thieves vandalise pipelines to steal crude which they refine to promote on the black market.
Most individuals within the oil-producing Niger delta dwell in poverty regardless that the nation is the most important oil producer on the continent, with round two million barrels per day.
Pipeline fires are commonplace in Nigeria, partially due to poor pipeline upkeep but additionally due to thieves who vandalise pipelines to siphon off petrol and promote it on the black market.
Tons of have been killed up to now as a consequence of stealing and unlawful refining of petroleum merchandise identified regionally as bunkering.
The federal government has deployed the navy to raid and destroy unlawful refineries within the Niger delta as a part of measures to cease the stealing of the nation’s oil sources.
(Apart from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is printed from a syndicated feed.)
