Cooking fuel explosions kill 10 Nigerians -paper

ABUJA, July 23 (Reuters) At least 10 people have been killed when kerosene they were using for cooking exploded in the southern Nigerian city of Warri, the Punch newspaper reported today.

Quoting hospital sources, the Punch said 22 people had also been injured by explosions over the past four days.

The newspaper said the kerosene, used to fuel cooking stoves, had probably been adulterated by black marketeers seeking to increase volume and therefore profits.

Nigeria, Africa's top exporter of crude oil, is dependent on imports of refined products to meet domestic demand because its own refineries are not working due to mismanagement, sabotage and corruption.

The petrol, diesel and kerosene import businesses are frequently manipulated by marketeers, meaning that the products are often unavailable at the official, subsidised price. Supply and distribution problems frequently lead to shortages.

As a result, many Nigerians turn to the black market for their basic needs, but products sold in jerry cans by the side of the road are often adulterated with more volatile liquids such as petrol.

REUTERS JK KP1705