ABUJA: At least 37 people, including two pregnant women, were tragically burned to death after an explosion at an illegal oil refinery in southern Nigeria, a community leader and local security official said on Tuesday.
The tragedy unfolded in Rivers State, triggered by a homemade refinery that accidentally ignited a nearby oil reservoir, leaving victims severely burned. Local police confirmed the tragic incident but said they are investigating the cause of the explosion and gathering details about the fatalities.
“The fire outbreak started at a very late hour… 37 victims were burnt beyond recognition while 25 injured persons were rescued,” revealed Olufemi Ayodele, spokesperson for the local Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps. He further shared that among the victims were several youths, tragically including two pregnant women and a young lady preparing for her upcoming marriage ceremony next month.
Illegal Oil Refining in Nigeria
Local residents in the Emohua district expressed fears that the toll could be higher, as dozens of people were present at the site, attempting to collect spilled crude oil. Oil theft remains a significant challenge in Nigeria, an OPEC member and one of Africa’s largest petroleum producers. Incidents and spills frequently occur in makeshift refineries concealed in swamps within the Niger Delta, where smugglers tap into pipelines to pilfer crude and refine it into fuel for illegal sale.
Illegal refining is common in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria as needy locals tap pipelines to make oil to sell for a reasonable profit. The practice is often deadly, which can be as basic as boiling crude oil in drums to excerpt fuel.
