More than 20 people were killed in a crude oil explosion in the Niger Delta state of Rivers State in Southern Nigeria.
The incident occurred over the weekend at a waterside area in the community of Omoku, headquarters of Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area in the state.
Omoku is one of the several oil and gas communities in the region.
The victims who incurred various degrees of injuries have been admitted to nearby hospitals in the community.
The cause of the explosion and the total number of casualties are yet to be ascertained at the time of filing this report.
According to a youth leader in the community, the explosion occurred while stolen crude was been distributed in containers.
The crude oil was allegedly being tapped from an underground pipe when the Omoku explosion happened.
