50 missing after pipeline explosion in Bayelsa

Nengi James-Eriworio, a spokesman for the Nembe Chiefs Council, told The Associated Press that the blast on Friday caused a massive oil spill in the Nembe Kingdom in Bayelsa State.

There was no immediate word on injuries or other casualties beyond those missing.

50 missing after pipeline explosion in Bayelsa (Illustration purpose)

It was not immediately clear whether the pipeline had been shut down.

Nigeria is among the world’s largest oil producers. Nigerian oil companies say that the majority of oil spills are caused by sabotage, theft and illegal refining.

Spills have left the Niger Delta highly polluted. In years past, it has endured the equivalent of the Exxon Valdez spill every year for more than 50 years, by some estimates, with the crude spewing from rusted and aging pipes, unchecked by what analysts say is ineffectual or collusive regulation, and enabled by poor maintenance and sabotage.

Pipeline explosion (Illustration purpose)

In 2016, local community leaders initiated a court action in London against the energy giant Royal Dutch Shell, in a case with potentially far-reaching consequences for whether companies could be sued in Britain for pollution and damages caused by their activities in other countries.

Nengi James-Eriworio, a spokesman for the Nembe Chiefs Council, told The Associated Press that the blast on Friday caused a massive oil spill in the Nembe Kingdom in Bayelsa State.

There was no immediate word on injuries or other casualties beyond those missing.

50 missing after pipeline explosion in Bayelsa (Illustration purpose)

It was not immediately clear whether the pipeline had been shut down.

Nigeria is among the world’s largest oil producers. Nigerian oil companies say that the majority of oil spills are caused by sabotage, theft and illegal refining.

Spills have left the Niger Delta highly polluted. In years past, it has endured the equivalent of the Exxon Valdez spill every year for more than 50 years, by some estimates, with the crude spewing from rusted and aging pipes, unchecked by what analysts say is ineffectual or collusive regulation, and enabled by poor maintenance and sabotage.

Pipeline explosion (Illustration purpose)

In 2016, local community leaders initiated a court action in London against the energy giant Royal Dutch Shell, in a case with potentially far-reaching consequences for whether companies could be sued in Britain for pollution and damages caused by their activities in other countries.

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