Nigerian police and officials say more than 50 people have been killed and many injured in an explosion that shook an illegal oil refinery in southeastern Nigeria
From CHINEDU ASADU Associated Press
April 23, 2022, 9:32 p.m.
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ABUJA, Nigeria – More than 50 people were killed and many injured when an explosion shook an illegal oil refinery in southeastern Nigeria, government officials and police said on Saturday.
The death toll could be more than 100, according to a report by the Lagos-based Punch newspaper. The fire reportedly engulfed nearby properties.
The blaze broke out Friday night and quickly spread to two fuel storage depots at the illegal crude oil refinery, resulting in “a rapid-fire fire” in the area, said Declan Emelumba, Imo’s commissioner for information. .
The immediate cause of the blast and the extent of deaths, injuries and damage are being investigated, Emelumba said.
Numerous videos posted on social media show a horrifying scene, with the charred remains of people turned into skeletons and ashes. The Associated Press was unable to verify them independently.
“Many people died. All of those killed were illegal operators, “said Michael Abatham, a spokesman for the Imo State Police Command.
The Imo state government has searched for the owner of the refinery where the blast took place and has declared him wanted, an official said.
Illegal refineries are common in Nigeria, where shady business operators often evade regulation and taxes by setting up refineries in remote areas out of sight of the authorities.
Nigeria is the largest producer of crude oil in Africa, but there are very few official refineries, and as a result most gasoline and other fuels are imported, creating a loophole for illegal refinery operators.
The practice is so widespread that it affects crude oil production in the oil-rich region of the Niger Delta.
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