Crude oil explosion kills at least 12 in Rivers

A crude oil explosion has killed at least 12 people near Port Harcourt in Rivers state, police and witnesses said.

The explosion occurred early Friday at a crude oil pipeline in Rumuekpe community of Emuoha Local Government Area, as suspected vandals tried to pump oil out for illegal refining, according to the police.

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A police spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, said 12 people died but a local official put the figure at 15. “So far about 12 persons are believed to have been burnt to death. The identities of the victims are still unknown,” she was quoted by the News Agency of Nigeria as saying.

The news agency reported that the explosion occurred as a bus loaded with crude oil in cans caught fire as it was driving to an illegal refinery site.

Police said five vehicles and four tricycles were destroyed.

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Crude oil theft is rampant in Nigeria’s oil rich Niger Delta where criminal gangs who complain of neglect by the government set up artisanal refineries to process and sell petroleum products. Large scale theft also take place mostly offshore, carried out or sponsored by richer individuals, including government officials.

Deadly accidents occasionally occur at makeshift refining sites. In April 2022, more than 100 people died following a powerful oil explosion in Egbema local government area of Imo state, at the boundary with Rivers state.

Many of those killed were workers at the illegal refinery and were burned beyond recognition.

Fyneface Fyneface, who leads the Port Harcourt-based Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre, a nongovernmental group non-profit, said some of the victims of the latest incident were women.

“I can confirm that women were involved. I’m not sure of children but I know those who carry out illegal refining usually come to the area with the families,” he told Pluboard.