The Imo-Rivers explosion occurred at the site of an illegal oil refinery in Southern Nigeria on 22 April 2022. It happened late at night on the border between Imo State and Rivers State. Eyewitnesses described a loud noise followed by a huge fire that could be seen burning above the Abaezi forest. The initial death toll was thought to be around 60 people but as the days passed, more bodies were found, with the final estimate suggesting that 110 people died with over 100 more seriously injured. The casualties were predominantly young people who were probably working at the illegal refinery, with many suffering serious burns due to the resultant fire. The explosion and fire caused significant environmental damage.
Background
The country of Nigeria is responsible for the majority of oil production and export in West Africa with multiple official oil refineries throughout the Niger Delta area. Despite the high revenue generated by the oil refineries, little of that money finds its way into the local economy and unemployment and poverty are high. The official oil refineries do not always work to full capacity, so despite the large amount of oil produced, there are often shortages in the local area, with high prices being charged. The oil industry has been implicated in widespread pollution in the area, which impacts the health and livelihoods of local people.
As a consequence of unemployment and poverty, local people have turned to illegal oil refining or 'bunkering' as a way of obtaining fuel and making money, even though the dangers of this practice are known. Those running the illegal oil refineries drill down into the network of underground oil pipelines that run through this area and siphon off crude oil, storing this oil in containers hidden in the forests. There are frequent spillages that contaminate the ground and rivers, causing environmental damage. To produce the different fuel types such as kerosene and diesel, the crude oil is heated up to different temperatures and then cooled down. This process produces gas which is often burned off, contributing to further pollution. Because the process is unregulated and has few safety guards, accidents can cause explosions and fire, which is what probably happened on this occasion. From a financial perspective, it is estimated that the illegal oil trade is responsible for the loss of £2.4 billion ($3 billion) to the Nigerian economy per year.
Illegal oil refineries were very common in Rivers State, so in February 2022 the Rivers State Government started a clampdown on illegal bunkering sites with some success. This resulted in the activity moving over the border into Imo State where this explosion and fire occurred. Since the disaster, over 150 other bunkering sites have been identified in Imo State and there is some suspicion that law-enforcement agencies may be complicit in the bunkering industry, as the size and extent of the operations would have been difficult to hide.
Geographical and physical impact The 2022 Imo-Rivers explosion resulted in severe geographical and physical impacts across the boundary region between Imo and Rivers States in southeastern Nigeria. The blast occurred in the Abaezi forest, which spans the border of the Ohaji-Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State and Rivers State.
The explosion and ensuing fire were significant in human and environmental terms. The explosion caused numerous deaths, and additional remains were later discovered but were difficult to identify. Some victims died later in the hospital from severe burns sustained during the incident. Many of the charred bodies were carried away and laid to rest by families early on, while about 50 victims were buried in mass graves near the site due to the extent of the burns and the difficulty of identification. Others who survived sustained serious burn injuries, with many receiving treatment in hospital following the incident.
The explosion burned a substantial portion of the forest, leaving vegetation and surrounding materials with extensive fire damage, including ash, soot, and melted debris. The incident caused lasting effects on the local environment. The immediate area bore heavy physical damage. Burnt palm trees, cars, and vans were scattered around the forest clearing following the weekend explosion, providing evidence of the fire's intensity and the heat it generated. The explosion destroyed the improvised refining facilities and related equipment at the site. A Reuters journalist reported seeing scattered pieces of personal belongings, such as flip-flops, bags, and clothing, dispersed throughout the disaster area. This scattering of debris and destruction of personal property highlighted the physical impact and the scale of the explosion.
The soil and vegetation surrounding the epicentre were heavily contaminated by crude oil, soot, and unburned petroleum residue. Pools of thick black oil and tar-like deposits covered the ground, seeping into the soil and altering its structure. Contaminated runoff flowed into nearby streams, resulting in water pollution and the spread of hydrocarbons into local waterways. The incident further exacerbated the long-standing damage to fishing and farming that had already been caused by years of oil exploitation in the Niger Delta. The contamination of soil and water has reduced agricultural productivity and harmed aquatic life, deepening the environmental crisis faced by local communities that depend on these resources.
Air quality deteriorated sharply during and after the explosion. Dense black smoke containing soot, particulate matter, and volatile hydrocarbons filled the atmosphere, drifting over nearby settlements and creating respiratory hazards. The intense heat and prolonged burning released toxic fumes, leaving lingering smells of petroleum and charred organic material.
Despite periodic crackdowns, illegal refineries still litter the swamps, creeks, and waters of the impoverished Niger Delta, continuing to cause oil spills, fires, and environmental pollution.The 2022 Imo-Rivers explosion has been noted as highlighting the physical devastation and environmental degradation wrought by such secret operations. The once-forested area of Abaezi now bears visible scars of burned vegetation, damaged soils, and abandoned machinery, marking a landscape showing lasting changes resulting from the incident and the operations involved.
Response The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), an intergovernmental organisation coordinating petroleum policies among member countries, issued a statement of condolences to the Imo State Government following the explosion. The Nigerian Red Cross Society conducted an assessment of the site two days after the incident.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari described the event as a "catastrophe and a national disaster" and pledged that those responsible would be identified and prosecuted. The Imo State Government subsequently declared Okenze Onyenwoke, identified as the owner of the illegal oil refinery, wanted in connection with the explosion in the Abaezi community.
Reports indicated that other operators of illegal refineries expressed their intention to continue the business despite the risks, characterising the explosion as an uncommon rare occurrence among more than 150 bunkering sites. Some suggested that the tragedy may have resulted from errors made by oil buyers. Operators further alleged that such refineries could not function without the involvement of landowners, security personnel, and influential community leaders. One operator dismissed concerns regarding environmental pollution and health risks associated with illegal refining, stating that immediate survival needs outweighed ecological and health considerations.
An anonymous community leader expressed concern that environmental hazards resulting from illegal bunkering activities, including crop damage and water pollution, pose risks to public health, the natural environment, and local livelihoods. According to the leader, the issue has not received adequate coverage in the media.
Local officials and the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), an environmental coalition, attributed the persistence of illegal refineries to lax oversight by security agencies and inadequate protection of oil installations. President Buhari announced plans to intensify efforts to dismantle illegal refineries, a position echoed by Goodluck Opiah, Imo State Commissioner for Petroleum Resources, who emphasised the government's commitment to cracking down on oil bunkering activities. Tunji Oyebanji, chairman of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Downstream Group, recommended stricter penalties to increase the economic risks for illegal operators and clients, thereby reducing incentives for participation.
HOMEF attributed the prevalence of illegal refining to unemployment and poverty, urging the government to provide alternative employment opportunities for youth. The organisation criticised reliance on military responses, arguing that such conditions make "death by roasting" appear to be a survival strategy for some residents of the Niger Delta. Local youth leader Bright Onyenwoke expressed similar views, noting that despite the dangers, many individuals were compelled to engage in illegal refining due to limited job opportunities.
Two years after the incident, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, the state-owned oil corporation, reported that 6,800 illegal refineries had been deactivated across Nigeria between 2022 and 2024.
Short- and longer-term health consequences
The explosion caused immediate, life-threatening health impacts. Media and official reports estimated that more than 100 people were killed, many “burnt beyond recognition,” while dozens of survivors sustained severe thermal burns, crush injuries and smoke inhalation. Local clinics were quickly overwhelmed, highlighting existing gaps in emergency and critical-care capacity in this region of Nigeria.
Short-term survivors faced high risk of complications such as airway inflammation, chemical pneumonitis and infection. These conditions are difficult to manage where supplies of oxygen, analgesics and specialised burn-care units are limited. The health system strain observed after the explosion reflects broader inequalities in the Niger Delta, where residents have less access to advanced medical facilities and emergency services compared to other regions.
Long-term health risks arise from both the acute exposure during the fire and the chronic environmental contamination associated with artisanal oil refining. Studies in the Niger Delta have consistently documented elevated concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals in soil, water and air near refining sites—pollutants linked to chronic respiratory illness, dermatological problems and increased lifetime cancer risk. These risks disproportionately affect poorer communities living close to contaminated sites, illustrating how environmental degradation and socioeconomic inequalities shape health outcomes over time.
These long-term vulnerabilities are also reflected in wider assessments of the region. A major Amnesty International investigation found that chronic oil pollution in the Niger Delta contributes to elevated risks of cancer, respiratory illness, reproductive harms and other persistent health challenges, especially among impoverished communities living near contaminated land and waterways. The report further highlights how weak environmental regulation and slow clean-up processes magnify these long-term health burdens.