- The bunker site was on the border of the Imo River and the states
- Illegal refining in the Niger Delta, fueled by unemployment, poverty
- The blast comes after a recent crackdown on Rivers Governor
YENAGAO, Nigeria, April 23 (Reuters) – More than 100 people were killed in an explosion at an illegal oil refinery at the Nigerian and Imo rivers on the night, a local government and environmental group spokesman said on Saturday.
“The fire broke out in an illegal bunker site and affected more than 100 people, who were burned beyond recognition,” said State Commissioner for Petroleum Resources Goodluck Opia.
The bunker site was located in the Ohaji-Egbema area of Imo State in the Abaezi Forest, which crosses the state border.
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Unemployment and poverty in the Niger oil-producing delta have made illegal crude oil refining an attractive business, but with deadly consequences. Crude oil is extracted from a network of pipelines owned by large oil companies and refined into products in makeshift tanks.
The dangerous process has led to many fatal accidents and polluted a region that has already been hit by oil spills on agricultural land, streams and lagoons.
The Center for Youth and Environmental Advocacy said the blast burned several vehicles that were in line to buy illegal fuel.
The location of the border is a reaction to the recent crackdown by the governor of Rivers State against illegal refining in an attempt to reduce deteriorating air pollution. Read more
“The governor of Rivers State has recently put pressure to eliminate illegal refining in Rivers, so he has to move to the periphery and neighboring states. There have been several attacks in the last month or two and some security agents involved have been launched,” Ledum Mitte president of the Ogoni People ‘s Survival Movement (MOSOP), he said.
At least 25 people, including some children, were killed in an explosion and fire at another illegal refinery in Rivers State in October. Read more
In February, local authorities said they were cracking down to try to stop the refining of stolen crude oil, but with little apparent success. Read more
Government officials estimate that Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil producer and exporter, is losing an average of 200,000 barrels a day of oil – more than 10 percent of production – to those who penetrate or destroy pipelines.
This has forced oil companies to regularly declare force majeure on oil and gas exports.
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Additional reports by Julia Payne in Lagos, Written by Julia Payne and MacDonald Jirutue, Edited by Raisa Kasolowski and Ross Russell
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