President Olusegun Obasanjo ordered security services to step up protection of Nigeria’s pipelines after a gas conduit exploded, killing up to 200 people, state radio said today.

Petrol gushing from a ruptured Nigeria pipeline caught fire today as villagers scavenged for free fuel, sparking an inferno that killed up to 200 people and left charred bodies scattered around the site.

An oil pipeline exploded today in Nigeria and up to 200 people are feared dead, a local television station reported.