100 Die As Nigerian Oil Pipeline Explodes

More than 100 villagers were killed in Nigeria after an oil pipeline punctured by thieves exploded as local people scavenged for fuel.

The explosion happened last Thursday in the south-eastern community of Onicha Amiyi-Uhu, 35 miles north of the Abia state capital Umuahia, but reports have only just emerged.

Nigeria is the world's eighth biggest crude oil exporter, and Africa's biggest oil producer. But it suffers chronic fuel shortages because of technical problems with its four domestic refineries.

The explosion was triggered by a spark from a motorcycle whose rider was transporting petrol from the ruptured pipeline, owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corp (NNPC).

Fire crews employed by NNPC managed to extinguish the fire yesterday. Hospital officials in Umuahia said they had been struggling to cope with the many burn victims.

'Since Thursday night we have been receiving victims of severe burns in our hospital,' the centre's director, Dr Chinonso Onuoha, told reporters. 'All our beds in the casualty section are occupied by critically ill people.'