An explosion at an illegal petrol depot in Cotonou, the Republic of Benin, has consumed 34 lives, including two babies.
According to reports, the fire which occurred near Seme, Lagos State, Nigeria’s border with Benin, was caused fuel smugglers.
Interior Minister Alassane Seidou said about 20 people who were injured in the incident, are currently receiving medical treatment with some in serious conditions.
This tragic incident points to the dangers inherent in smuggling of petroleum products across the border, a practice that triggered the removal of subsidy by the Bola Tinubu administration in May 2023.
Nigeria’s neighbours had depended on it as the largest producer of oil and gas in the sub-region producer to mitigate the high cost of their imported petroleum products.
Emergency workers including Red Cross are carried out operations and took the injured to the hospitals for treatment.
The authorities said investigations into the incident had begun.
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