Nigerian pres orders blast probe

2006-05-13 10:59

Ilado, Nigeria - President Olusegun Obasanjo ordered security services to step up protection of Nigeria's pipelines after a gas conduit exploded, killing up to 200 people, state radio said on Saturday.

Obasanjo described the burning of scores of villagers as they gathered free fuel from the pipeline as "grave" and ordered an investigation into the cause of the blast, Radio Nigeria said.

Oil-region militants have targeted pipelines and other petroleum-industry infrastructure in Africa's oil giant, cutting production by a quarter. But there was no sign that Friday's fire on a ruptured pipeline was sabotage.

Gasoline gushing from the pipeline exploded as villagers scavenged for the fuel, setting off an inferno that killed up to 200 people. It appeared some victims tried to flee the unfolding disaster only to be overtaken by flames spreading across the fuel slick.

More than 1 000 people in Nigeria, Africa's oil giant, have died in recent years when fuel they were pilfering from pipelines caught fire - and officials said it would likely happen again.

Happened before

"Because this thing has happened many times before, we thought it would be a deterrent, but apparently it wasn't enough deterrent for these people who died," said Lagos State Health Commissioner Tola Kasali, surveying the scene near Ilado, about 50km east of the main city of Lagos.

"Anywhere you have a pipeline in this country, you have this problem because people are greedy and they want quick money," Kasali said.

It was not known what set the fuel ablaze.

Police and rescue workers said villagers were collecting the gushing gas when the fuel ignited, and Lagos Police Commissioner Emmanuel Adebayo said 150 to 200 people died. The Red Cross had said it was treating survivors, but no live victims were seen.

By day's end, about 100 of the dead had been buried, and Kasali said cleanup efforts were to resume Saturday.

He said the uncollected bodies pose a health risk to the millions of inhabitants of Lagos, whose skyline could be seen on the horizon.

"We just decided to give them a mass burial because no one can recognize them - even their family members can't identify them," he said. "We're concerned that if we don't do that, we'll create a health emergency in Lagos since it happened by the shore and the water will just flow back into the city."

The blaze took place far from the centre of the fishing village of Ilado, and it was unclear if there were witnesses. Boatsmen said they heard an explosion before dawn and saw the glow of flames.

The pipeline was run by Nigeria's state oil company and was used to transport gasoline across the country for national consumption.

The impoverished people of Nigeria often tap pipelines, seeking fuel for cooking or resale on the black market. The highly volatile gasoline can ignite, incinerating those collecting it.

- AP