Mourners were nowhere to be seen as gravediggers in Nigeria’s southeast town of Ohaji-Egbema used shovels to place the unidentifiable charred remains of dozens who died in an explosion at an illegal oil refinery into three mass graves.
The bodies had started to decompose after not being claimed by family members at the open water-logged space days after the explosion killed at least 110 people.
“Most corpses here cannot be identified,” said Marcel Amadioha, chairman of the Ohaji-Egbema local government area where the illegal refinery operated.
The explosion on Friday night was triggered by a fire in the bootleg facility that was tucked away in the Ohaji-Egbema forest, away from the eyes of Nigeria’s regulatory agencies. Such refineries have become common in the West African nation whose rich crude oil deposit is easily stolen.
Shortly after the explosion, people came from far and near to see if they could find the remains of their loved ones, said Amadioha, chairman of the council area.
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