By Desire Emmanuel
A Nigerian citizen, Jubril Akorede Abdulrahman, was among 66 persons who suffered serious injuries during an explosion that occurred in a gas company in Qatar.
The incident occurred last Sunday when the explosion and fire that accompanied it struck the Barzan Gas Supply Facility in Ras Laffan, Qatar.
The explosion left 66 people injured and they later received medical treatment. Among the injured are nationals of Qatar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, India and Nepal.
Media reports from Qatar revealed that at least 13 persons, mostly Indians, died during the incident.
It was gathered that Abdulrahman, who was initially thought to have died in the devastating explosion, was later found alive but seriously injured.
He was rushed to a hospital along other victims. He was however discharged from the hospital on Friday, June 26, and he is currently recuperating at an accommodation provided by his employer.
It was also gathered that Nigeria’s new Ambassador to Qatar, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, swung into action immediately upon receiving news of the incident, and he also confirmed that the explosion occurred around 10:30 p.m. local time at the facility operated by Qatar Energy.
It was also Ambassador Yakubu’s prompt intervention that ensured Abdulrahman’s situation was closely monitored in the hospital and that the Nigerian government was kept informed every step of the way.
According to the Nigerian in Diaspora Commission in a statement on Saturday, June 27, regarding the incident, Qatar Energy confirmed that the explosion was accidental and not an act of sabotage or hostility.
The facility had only recently been restarted after a planned operational shutdown that commenced in December 2025.
