Shell's Nigeria Oil Blast Kills 12: Police

An explosion on a Nigerian oil pipeline owned by Shell killed at least 12 people Friday, authorities at the scene said, while members of the affected community in Emohua in River State said they feared many more had died in the blast. A spokesperson for Shell Petroleum Development (SPD) company of Nigeria Limited said a fire occurred on its Rumuekpe-Nkpoku Trunk Line in Rivers State and that it was working with authorities to put it out.  Garuba Yabuku, civil defense spokesman for Emohua, the heart of Africa's biggest oil industry, said the incident was reported around 4:30 A.M. (03:30 GMT).