Did you know that the pipeline explosion that occured in Jesse, Delta State, on October 18, 1998, and that resulted in 1,082 deaths is the most deadly pipeline explosion to have occurred in Nigeria?

Pipeline fires are relatively common in Nigeria, the largest crude oil exporter in Africa. More than 400 people died in two similar explosions in Lagos in 2006 and at least 40 died December 2007. One of the worst tragedies happened in 1998 in southern Nigeria when more than 1,000 people died in a massive blast. Authorities often blame the disasters on criminal gangs that tap into pipelines to siphon fuel for sale. After the gangs move on, people trying to scavenge for fuel can cause a spark that sets leaked fuel ablaze.

Here are some timeline of pipeline explosions in Nigeria spanning two decades (2000–2020) as culled from Channels Television and The Guardian Nigeria.

JULY 10, 2000 – This incident took place near Jesse in Delta State after a pipeline exploded. About 250 persons were killed as the fire went out of control.

NOVEMBER 30, 2000 – The pipeline explosion was caused by a leaking oil products pipeline which caught fire in Ebute Metta, Lagos, the incident took not less than 60 lives.

JUNE 19, 2003 – This pipeline explosion took place in Umuahia, the Abia State capital in eastern Nigeria after an oil pipeline was punctured by thieves. It killed 125 persons.

SEPTEMBER 17, 2004 – This pipeline explosion killed over 20 persons in Lagos State following attempts by oil thieves to steal petroleum meant for the NNPC.

MAY 12, 2006 – The Inagbe Beach pipeline explosion in Lagos state led to the death of over 250 people.

DECEMBER 26, 2006 – According to the Red Cross, about 500 persons died in another explosion at Abule Egba in Lagos State. The victims were stealing fuel from a buried pipeline which later caught fire.

DECEMBER 26, 2007 – More than 45 person were burnt to death during this pipeline explosion which took place in Lagos State.

MAY 15, 2008 – According to the Red Cross, the incident caused by a damaged pipeline in Lagos State, killed about 100.

JANUARY 12, 2013 – At least three people have been killed after an NNPC pipeline was gutted by fire at Arepo, Ogun State in south west Nigeria.

MAY 18TH, 2014 – About seven people died and scores of others severely injured in an explosion at the NNPC jetty, in Okrika, Rivers State. The explosion was allegedly caused by petroleum product thieves.

MARCH 29, 2016 – According to an environmental group, the Environmental Rights Action (ERA), three persons died with many injured as an oil pipeline blew up. The blast happened as repair works were going on.

JUNE 09, 2016 – An explosion rocked a pipeline operated by the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) at Sanomi Creek, in the Ogidigben area of Warri South West, Delta State, Nigeria. A security official and a community leader in the restive Niger Delta told Reuters that the pipeline exploded around 8 p.m. local time (1900 GMT) but no death recorded.

NOVEMBER 08, 2016 – A blast rocked a pipeline operated by Nigeria’s state-run oil firm NNPC that feeds the Forcados terminal in the southern Niger Delta energy hub.

JULY 02, 2018 – A gas pipeline in Ilara near Ogijo area of Ogun State exploded. Eyewitnesses say the explosion occurred at about 10:00 pm on Sunday and rescue officials put out the inferno.

OCTOBER, 12, 2018 – In this pipeline explosion, 19 people died when it exploded in Umueze community of Abia State. Eyewitnesses told Channels Television that the incident took place when some residents attempted to scoop fuel from a vandalized pipeline.

JUNE 22, 2019 – Ten persons were feared dead in a pipeline explosion in Kom Kom area of Oyigbo Local Government Area, Rivers State. A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer of the state command, DSP Nnamdi Omoni, noted that the pipeline exploded happened during a routine maintenance work by some engineers.

JULY 4, 2019 – About 10 persons lost their lives with many cars burnt during the explosion after a breach of a fuel pipeline. It took place early hours of the day in the Ijegun area of Lagos and according to report, over 30 cars were burnt. The inferno was due to vandals who broke open a state-run pipeline to steal petrol.

AUGUST 30, 2019 – An NNPC-operated crude trunk line exploded at the Abura crude line in Otu-Jeremi town, Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State. Channels Television reported that as the oil pipeline exploded, it dumped crude oil into the surroundings of Otu-Jeremi community, and caused tension among residents.

DECEMBER 5, 2019 – This pipeline explosion which took place at the Gloryland Estate, Isheri Olofin area of Lagos State, happened about a day after a gas explosion at Four Points in the Oniru part of the commercial center with about two persons burnt to death. The incident rocked the area early in the morning, causing panic among the residents.

JANUARY 19, 2020 – Five persons died in an Abule-Egba pipeline explosion that occurred within the late hours of the day. According to LASEMA, three adult males, one adult female, and one female child died in the explosion.

MARCH 16, 2020 – Over 20 persons died and several houses destroyed following an explosion at the Abule-Ado area around Festac town in Amuwo Odofin Local government Area of Lagos state. The NNPC said that the incident occurred after a truck hit some gas cylinders stacked in a gas processing plant located near the corporation’s System 2B pipeline right of way.

Sources: Channels TV | The Guardian Nigeria

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