Nigeria Warns of Missing Nuclear Material

Newsday.com ^ | February 21, 2003, 6:05 PM EST | Associated Press

[freeperfromnj]

LAGOS, Nigeria -- Nigeria issued a warning Friday over missing radioactive material, saying an oil company in the oil-rich Niger Delta had reported the loss.

The short announcement, on Nigerian TV, gave few details -- leaving unanswered how much material was missing, and where, among other questions.

Citing the West African nation's nuclear regulatory agency, state TV said an unspecified oil company had reported metal contaminated with radioactive material was missing from its operations.

[Bush2000]

Weapons grade? Or just a radiological menace?

[Interesting Times]

They'll give it back, but you have to give them your bank account first.

[Southack]

This is a non-story.

Clay is radioactive. Some kitchen tiles from Mexico will peg your geiger counter.

Oil companies drill down through clay to reach oil.

They lay pipe through this clay to pump the oil through.

This pipe becomes tainted with radiation that would get regulators to close most American nuclear facilities (only because the radioactivity of a normal, healthy banana peel would likewise get a nuke plant closed).

Whoa. Oil company gets some old pipe stolen. Yeah, it's radioactive, but not dangerous to human health, and certainly not "weapons grade".

Unless some major details are missing from the report above, this is a non-issue.

[freeperfromnj]

This is a non-story.

Tell it to the AP. I don't feel comfortable with radioactive material of any type, in the hands of possible operatives in that part of the world.

[error99]

I do not know anything about a one curie source that got lost down a test well. At least that is what my supervisor told me to say if anyone ever asked about it (back in the 70's)...

[kanawa]

They'll give it back, but you have to give them your bank account first.

ROFLMAO

[MHGinTN]

Well and truly stated. But, look at the source, AP ... Anti-american Pukes.

[freeperfromnj]

look at the source, AP ... Anti-american Pukes.

That may well be true - but it is still one of the most quoted sources for stories that I've seen on this forum.

[AdamSelene235]

I deliberately have increased my gamma dose to 20 X the background. Great for auto-immune disorders such as asthma.

[Leisler]

You want in? It is a little illegal( not in the US ), but I don't want to be greedy and you being a fellow freeper and all,.... why I am more than willing to share.

[Willie Green]

Weapons grade? Or just a radiological menace?

Could be just an old X-ray machine, I would think.

[section9]

What do you want to bet that the Lads from Lagos start sending out emails to people giving them a cut of the proceeds of the sale of "weapons grade" to the Egyptians.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[e_engineer]

How?

[AdamSelene235]

Chunk of uranium oxide under my bed. Check out Art Robinson's research into radiation "hormesis". Its briefly mentioned in the article "A Scientist Finds Independence" in my profile.

[Dog Gone]

That's correct. Oil companies have to take precautions with the material, but only because of an abundance of caution. It's not going to hurt anyone.

[browardchad]

This AP story from Tuesday speculates that the material is cesium-137. Nigeria has no known nuclear program and no known uranium. No info on the quantity or the exact time frame it “disappeared.”

I can’t help wondering if this (the possibility of a dirty bomb) is intentionally designed to scare us into holding off on Iraq – a bit much of a coincidence: think North Korea, and Iran's casual tip-off that it just happens to be mining fissionable ore.