Burning pipeline sign of Nigeria's woes
2012-12-21 13:24
Ije Ododo - Thieves who wanted to steal gasoline from a
pipeline running near Nigeria's megacity of Lagos have sparked a massive fire.
The fire began on Monday in Ije Ododo, in a swampy mangrove
forest in the western fringe of the sprawling city of Lagos.
On Thursday, fire-fighters sprayed water around the site,
trying to stop the fire from spreading. The ground turned to a foul-smelling
mud, with puddles of fuel and dirt looking red.
Pipeline ruptures remain common in Nigeria, an oil-rich
nation where militants and criminals routinely tap into lines to steal crude
oil and refined gasoline.
While the government criticises those stealing from the
lines, it often remains the only quick way to make money in a nation where most
earn the equivalent of a $1 day.
- SAPA
