VZCZCXRO4783
OO RUEHPA
DE RUEHOS #1449 3611654
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 271654Z DEC 06
FM AMCONSUL LAGOS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8317
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA PRIORITY 8154
INFO RUEHWR/AMEMBASSY WARSAW 0054
RUEHCD/AMCONSUL CIUDAD JUAREZ 0026
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 0033
RUEHSO/AMCONSUL SAO PAULO 0065
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH AFB UK
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC

C O N F I D E N T I A L LAGOS 001449 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DOE FOR GPERSON, CGAY 
TREASURY FOR ASEVERENS, SRENENDER, DFIELDS 
COMMERCE FOR KBURRESS 
STATE PASS USTR FOR ASST USTR SLISER 
STATE PASS TRANSPORTATION FOR MARAD 
STATE PASS OPIC FOR ZHAN AND MSTUCKART 
STATE PASS TDA FOR NCABOT 
STATE PASS EXIM FOR JRICHTER 
STATE PASS USAID FOR GWEYNAND AND SLAWAETZ 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/27/2016 
TAGS: EPET ENERG SOCI ASEC PTER NI
SUBJECT: FUEL SHORTAGES, POVERTY ARE BACKDROP TO PIPELINE 
EXPLOSION 
 
 
Classified By: Consul Alan Latimer for Reasons 1.4 (B,D) 
 
¶1.  (C)  Fuel leaking from a pipeline breached by vandals in 
the early hours of December 26 exploded, killing 269 people 
and injuring an additional 160 persons in the blast and 
ensuing fire, according to the Nigerian Red Cross.  Early 
press reports put the number of deaths at 700, and some 
reports placed the number closer to 1,000. 
 
¶2.  (C)  According to Dr. Levi Adjuonuma, General Manager for 
Public Affairs, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation 
(NNPC), residents of the crowded Abule Egba district were 
scooping the escaping oil into plastic canisters when the 
fuel ignited.  As reported in the media, Lagos had been 
experiencing a fuel shortage during the three week run-up to 
the Christmas/New Years/Eid el Adha holiday season, a period 
during which Nigerians travel to their home villages to spend 
the holidays with their families.  Queues at gas stations 
reached for blocks and public transportation was in short 
supply.  The market price of fuel, which is usually Naira 65 
per liter, soared to Naira 200 per liter. 
 
¶3.  (C)  According to Adjuonuma, another pipeline had been 
vandalized earlier in the month; that incident went 
unreported by the media but exacerbated an already existing 
fuel shortage.  An oil industry contact blamed bad planning 
by oil importers who had inadequate supplies scheduled for 
delivery at Lagos port.  Another industry contact placed the 
blame for the shortage on NNPC officials who reportedly 
delayed authorization to off-load fuel for a week until 
guaranteed a slice of the profits.  The contact also 
indicated that the NNPC is behind in paying importers for 
fuel. 
 
¶4.  (C)  Comment:  NNPC warned the public of the dangers of 
trafficking in illegally bunkered fuel only days before the 
incident.  However, the Nigerian lower class is struggling to 
make ends meet.  With many families unable to afford school 
fees for their children or even breakfast for every child 
every day, income from illegally bunkered fuel is too 
tempting for them to ignore. 
BROWNE