285 deaths recorded from illegal refineries, tanker explosions

No fewer than 285 persons have lost their lives to explosions from illegal refineries and tanker explosions from January 2021 to October 3, 2023, analysis by the Sunday PUNCH has revealed.

Explosions from illegal refineries which are locally operated mostly in the oil-rich Niger Delta region are common and have continued to lead to loss of lives and properties over the years with a corresponding hike in the activities of oil thieves.

In February 2022, the government said it had started a crackdown to try to put a stop to the refining of stolen crude.

During a visit to the oil and gas facilities in Abia and Rivers states in August, Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, noted that the country has continued to lose an average of 400,000 barrels of crude per day to oil thieves.

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The refining process of the stolen crude has however continued to be at a huge price leading to the loss of lives and properties.

Between January 2021 and October 3, 2023, a total of 204 lives were lost to the activities of illegal refineries with 81 lost to tanker explosions.

In 2021, a total of 25 lives were lost to explosions from illegal refineries. Media reports noted that 25 people including minors lost their lives on October 24, 2021, at an illegal oil refinery in Rivers State.

In June of that year, five people died in Lagos when a tanker exploded because of a gas leakage.

That same month, nine persons were reportedly burnt to death in a fuel tanker explosion at Ajilete area of the Owode-Idiroko road, Ogun State.

Findings by our correspondents revealed that in 2022, no fewer than 150 lives were lost to explosions from illegal refineries with about 38 lives lost to tanker explosions.

So far in 2023, more deaths from explosions from activities of illegal refineries and tankers have been reported. More than 29 people have been killed by explosions from illegal refining sites while 27 lives were lost to tanker explosions.

Commenting on the disturbing trend, the Chairman, the Pipeline Sub-Committee of the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration, Bala Zakka, said, “Illegal refinery explosions are economic and national calamities. Some of these explosions are avoidable.

“These explosions expose Nigeria to the global community on the level of carelessness of the country’s economic and political leaders. Any economy that boosts the way Nigeria does should not have the kind of road networks that cause damage to Nigerians. A lot of the roads have not been properly maintained and they affect the man-hour productivity of Nigerians.”

Another safety expert, Prof Yemi Oke, said, “The explosions are elements of the badly managed energy sector. Tanker explosions would continue to happen because instead of channeling a proper structure to make effective distribution of petroleum products, they are put on the road.

“Most of the tankers are badly maintained. Some of them have not gone through overhaul maintenance or service and these tankers keep plying long distances.

“Most roads in Nigeria are bad and if their highly inflammable contents, it will spill and have a fire explosion. Bad enough, we do not have a remarkable insurance coverage system in Nigeria, and innocent Nigerians, homes, and offices are badly affected.”

Minister seeks police support to secure farms

The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof Joseph Utsev, has solicited the cooperation of the police to protect farms and facilities of the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority across the country.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Utsev made the appeal on Saturday in Ilorin during the inauguration of a water project constructed by the LNRBDA at the Police Command headquarters in Kwara.

“Our farms and facilities are scattered all over the country and we need the cooperation of the police to safeguard them to boost food security.

“Food security is a key component of the `Renewed Hope’ agenda of President Tinubu. Without food security, we cannot drive the president’s economic policy,” the minister said.