e-sRC

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

            Nigeria which was initially the fifth-biggest oil-producing country in the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), as it  present the fifteenth biggest because of various problems that continue obstruct its production, since the third quarter of 2014.¹ It is no longer a debate that Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and possibly the richest in the continent. The surplus human and material resources can provide the nation with several opportunities for national development.² The nation has proudly relied solely on profits from the sales of crude oil and manages whenever the price of crude oil in the international market goes down.³ As long as the revenue from the oil can keep all her citizens alive for one more day, an alternative source of income for the country has never been a serious option. However, the government now has a bigger concern as her precious natural resources (crude oil) are been stolen from the site and sold by a self-acclaimed stakeholder (the militant groups in the Niger Delta and their financial.⁴ However, this chapter examines nature of illegal mining and bunkering activities in the Niger Delta region. Illegal oil bunkering is a regular activity in the Niger Delta region in Nigeria. Despite the huge financial cost on the part of the government and the multinational oil companies, the perpetrators of this business continue to expand their operations in the creeks.⁵ Illegal oil bunkering is now a booming business in the Niger Delta. It is believed to involve the different local militant groups in creeks, commodity traders, military personnel, international businessmen, and some indigenous oil servicing companies. The successes of illegal oil bunkering in Nigeria have been ascribed to both local and national interest as a result of the profits from this illegal oil business.⁶ This study critically examines the key actors of illegal oil bunkering; the root causes and consequences of illegal oil bunkering, and the solutions to the identified challenges.

Aim and Objectives

            The aim of the study is to examine oil theft, illegal bunkering and pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta and its impact on Nigeria Economy. The main objectives includes

1. To examine the geography and people of the Niger Delta region.
2. To examine the nature and operational mode of illegal mining and bunkering activities in the Niger Delta region.
3. To identifies the activities and impact of illegal mining and bunkering activities in the Niger Delta region.
4. To observed the series of efforts by the Nigerian government and multinational national companies in curbing illegal mining and bunkering activities in the Niger Delta region.

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