Niger Delta Watch

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At least 200 people were killed outside Lagos, Nigeria, in a massive explosion and fire that ignited as crowds carried away buckets of refined fuel from a tapped fuel pipeline, the Nigerian Red Cross said.

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"People try to siphon fuel from a pipeline, and after that, maybe an hour, a couple hours after that -- someone lights a cigarette or a motorcycle engine backfires, and an explosion appears," CNN's Jeff Koinange explained.

Despite the country's oil riches, much of Nigeria's population suffers from fuel shortages. People often tap into pipelines that cross their lands, seeking fuel for cooking or resale on the black market.

In September 2004, an oil pipeline exploded near Lagos, as thieves tried to siphon oil from it. Up to 50 people perished in the flames.

A 1998 pipeline blast killed more than 1,000 in southern Nigeria.

Nigeria is the fourth largest exporter of oil to the United States, according to the Energy Information Administration.

One would think that there has to be a better way. The government needs to give people jobs so they don't have to smuggle oil and potentially lose their lives in the process. It is the oil companies' responsibility to give people jobs or else make absolutely sure that the dividends they give to the Nigerian government from their oil and gas contracts GETS TO THE PEOPLE. Otherwise, BOTH are to blame for dereliction of responsibility to the people of Nigeria and the Niger Delta.

Labels: Lagos, Niger Delta, Nigeria, Pipeline Explosion