On Friday, late at night, there was an explosion at the illegal oil refinery in Egbema local government area, the boundary between Imo and Rivers. According to officials on Saturday, the explosion killed nearly 100 people or more.
Goodluck Opiah, the Commissioner for Petroleum Resources in Imo, said, “There was a fire outbreak at an illegal bunkering site affecting over 100 people, burned beyond recognition.”
The death toll could rise, according to the sources. During the time of the explosion, it is said that people were working in the refinery.
Ifeanyi Nnaji of the National Emergency Management Agency said, “We learned many bodies are in nearby bushes and forests as some illegal operators and their patrons scampered for safety.”
According to Collins Ajie, a community leader and President-General of the Supreme Council of Oil and Gas Producing Areas in Imo, the explosion was sudden and heard in the forest between the states of Imo and Rivers, with thick smoke in the area.
All about explosion
The cause of the explosion is still unclear. According to sources, it has come to light that this type of explosion has been common in the past.
On these sites, safety is not taken into consideration. Precautions are the point of concern, as is environmental pollution.
According to the Nigerian official, the oil refineries don’t work up to their capacity, creating frequent fuel shortages and an increment in prices.
Illegal oil refineries in Nigeria
As per the sources, this type of illegal oil refinery is operated by tapping the crude oil from the pipelines owned by oil companies and then distilling it into the products.
In Nigeria, oil vandalism and oil theft are frequently reported crimes, resulting in economic loss.
Edited By: Vanshika Sahu
Published By: Raj Kishor
