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Militant Insurgency And Oil Exploitation In The Niger Delta
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In 2016, the Nigeria saw a resurgence of
militant attacks on oil and gas facilities in the Niger Delta, causing
oil production to plummet to near 30-year lows of around 1.6 million
barrels per day in August same year. “This round of attacks will be the
most deadly and will be targeting the deep sea operations of the
multinationals,†as described by the militants. Areas of targets include
places in the seas off the swampland delta region, would include the
Bonga Platform and the Agbami, EA and Akpo fields. The militants also
said they would target the Nigerian oil company, Brittania-U. Shell
operates the Bonga and EA fields, while Chevron is the operator of
Agbami. Akpo stakeholders include Total, China’s CNOOC, Brazil’s
Petrobras and Nigeria’s Sapetro. “As for the Egina FPSO, operators were
advised to cease operations until further notice. We mean it when we say
they (the oil installations) shall dance to the sound of the fury of
the Niger Delta Avengers,†the militants threatened. The attacks on
pipelines and other facilities in the Niger Delta in 2016 cut Nigeria’s
crude production from a peak of 2.2 million barrels per day to near one
million bpd, the lowest level in at least 30 years. That, combined with
low oil prices, pushed the country into its first recession in a quarter
of a century as crude sales make up two-thirds of government revenue
and most of its foreign exchange earnings. The militants agreed to a
ceasefire in August 2016, a development that helped pull the country out
of recession in the second quarter of last year. But they called off
the truce in November. Any resumption of attacks will pile pressure on
President Muhammadu Buhari, who is also facing separatist groups in the
South-East, Islamist militants in the North-East and elections in 2019.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The
militant insurgency in the Niger Delta can be described as a horrible
situation whose its permanent solution has not been found nor is it in
view. This is because, the problem is backed up by internal, insincere
and selfish desires of some power intoxicating few who had and still is
holding the country in ransom for a good number of years. The rise of
insurgency by history, literatures and observation was an outburst of
deep groanings and bitter pains by the victims of oil exploitation in
the Niger Delta region. Their heritage was been utilized for a national
good while the inheritors were abandoned to the negative effects of oil
exploitation. The country basked in much resources but the source of
that resource is constantly neglected. One would sincerely imagine why
such situation exists in a country filled with religious and God-seeking
fellows coupled with litters of degrees that brandishes their
intellectual attainment. This outburst which replicated militancy in the
Niger Delta region was left untamed or would we say poorly tamed. This
is because from time to time we hear threats from these militants about
undertaking one form of deadly attack or the other. The resultant effect
has been on the dwindling of the nation’s number one major source of
revenue. This situation cannot be easily discarded as we see daily its
effect and prospects if left unattended. This situation formed the
premise of this study and on this the concern for such a study was
undertaken to examine in clear terms militant’s insurgency and its
corresponding effect on oil exploitation in the Niger delta.
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ABSRACT - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]Oil exploitation and exploration which has its root in the Niger Delta was celebrated February, 2008 as fifty (50) years of oil exploitation in Nigeria. In spite of wealth generation by oil exploration and exploitation, opinions of observers on the performance of the oil production sector especially its developmental relation with oil host region/communities has not been impressive. Nigeria’s former two times petroleum minister and former president of OPEC, Rilwan Lukman describes oil pro ... Continue reading---
