CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACHGROUND OF THE STUDY

Since the 1990s, oil violence and vandalism in the Niger Delta region has done more harm than good to the Nigerian state, the Multinational Oil Companies (MNOCs), and the Niger Delta communities. Due to pervasive underdevelopment occasioned by blatant environmental pollution and despoliation, political marginalization and outright neglect by the Nigerian state and the multinational oil companies, oil related agitations started in the region in an attempt to compel the state and multinational oil companies to remedy the injustices meted to the Niger Deltans since the discovery of crude oil in commercial quantities at Oloibiri in 1956. However, the monocultural, rentier Nigerian state in collaboration with the multinational oil companies, have continuously and persistently beyond usual unleashed a reign of violence on the Niger Delta in a failed attempt to militarily repress and crush legitimate protests and therefore dissuade the delta minorities from constituting a hindrance to the continuous flow of its rents from oil exploration, exploitation and appropriation.

Vandalism is said to be an act of deliberately destroying or damaging property. Violence has been defined by the World Health Organization‘s (WHO) World Report on Violence and Health as the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community, that either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, mal development or deprivation‖ (WHO, 2002: 5). In the context of this study however, oil violence and vandalism can be defined as, the deliberate deployment of instruments of physical force by the various stakeholders in the oil industry in Nigeria, for the achievement of their respective objectives and goals with regards to the exploration, exploitation and appropriation of crude oil and its accruable benefits in the Niger Delta region.

Oil and gas vandalism and struggle for local control of Nigeria’s oil in Niger Delta is assuming a more violent dimension. This has metamorphosed into different militant group creation, ranging from the movement for the emancipation of the Niger delta in the early 2000’s to the current group named the Niger delta avengers, a group formed in the year 2016 has persistently resorted to the explosion of oil and gas pipeline and other related crimes against the Nigerian state.

1.2. STATEMENT OF THE GENERAL PROBLEM

It is no longer news as to the harm the vandalism of oil and gas pipelines in the Niger delta has caused the residents of this region. The constant vandalism of these pipelines has continued to place the residents of Niger delta on hazardous environmental risk. This has made the living condition of these people nothing to write home about. Aquatic life is no been extinct and lands are being polluted which therefore affects food production in these areas as a result. People living in this region especially the peasant farmers and fishermen have consistently suffered the most as a result of pipeline vandalism, this is as the result of oil spill which is usually the case after these vandals must have finished with this dastardly act.

Perhaps the major consequence of the oil and gas pipeline vandalism is depletion of the country’s gross domestic product. Nigeria being a country that runs on a mono economy of crude has been dealt a huge blow economically since the advent of pipeline vandalism. It has been reported in different media outlets that Nigeria looses billions of naira to pipeline vandalism. This has led to the continuous poor economic performance of Nigeria; this has unfortunately affected all residents of Nigeria.

1.3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The main objective of this study is to examine the resurgence of oil and gas pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta region. Other aims of this study include the following

1. To examine the major environmental consequences of oil and gas pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta.
2. To examine the reasons for the resurgence of oil and gas pipeline vandalism in the Niger delta region.
3.  To examine the economic implications of oil and gas vandalism.
4. To assess the level of damage caused by oil and gas pipeline vandals in the Niger Delta region.
5. To proffer solutions to oil and gas pipeline vandalism.
6. To recommend ways of preventing future occurrences of oil and gas pipeline vandalism

1.4. RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following questions would serve as a guide in undertaking this research work.

1. What are the major environmental consequences of oil and gas pipeline vandalism in Nigeria?
2. What are the economic implications of oil and gas pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta?
3. Can pipeline vandalism be eradicated in the Niger delta?
4. What led to the resurgence of oil and gas pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta?
5. Is there a relationship between economic development and pipeline vandalism in the Niger delta?
6. Is there a relationship between government negligence and pipeline vandalism?
7. What is the level of damage caused by oil and gas pipeline vandals in the Niger Delta?

1.5. RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

H0: There is no significant relationship between economic development and pipeline vandalism in the Niger delta.

H1: There is a significant relationship between economic development and pipeline vandalism in the Niger delta.

H0: There is no significant relationship between government negligence and pipeline vandalism in the Niger delta.

H1: There is a significant relationship between government negligence and pipeline vandalism in the Niger delta.

1.7. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study would be immense benefit to the Nigerian government in proffering lasting solution to the menace of oil and gas pipeline vandalism in the Niger delta. This study would equally be of huge importance to researchers, students and multinational oil companies operating in the Niger delta who are interested in the resurgence of oil and gas pipeline vandalism.

1.8. SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

This study is restricted to the resurgence of oil and gas pipeline vandalism in the Niger delta region, a case study of the Niger Delta Avengers.

Limitation of the study

Financial constraint- Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

 Time constraint- The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work

1.9. DEFINITION OF TERMS

RESURGENCE

The term resurgence in accordance to the study is the rate of growth and increase in the vandalization of the oil and gas pipeline after a long period without the growth of this vandalism.

PIPELINE VANDALISM

Vandalism in accordance to the study is the breaking or destruction of the oil and gas pipelines.

REFERENCES

Adeola, F. 2001 ̳Environmental Injustice and Human Rights Abuse: The States, MNCs, and Repression of Minority Groups in the World System‘Human Ecology Review, 8 (1): 39-59.

Agboton-Johnson, C. Ebo, A.& Mazal, L. 2000. ̳Small Arms Control in Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal‘. Security and Peacebuilding Programme: Monitoring the Implementation of Small Arms Controls (MISAC), West Africa Series No.2.

Babawale, 2001‘The Rise of Ethnic Militias, De-Legitimisation of the State, and the Threat to Nigerian Federalism‘ (Online).Available at:

http://www.westafricareview.com/vol3.1/babawale.html.[Accessed on 15 October 2007].

Civil Liberties Organization (CLO). 2002. Blood Trail: Repression and Resistance in the Niger Delta. Ikeja: CLO.

Eyinla,P and Ukpo, J. 2006. Nigeria: The Travesty of Oil and Gas Wealth. Lagos: Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria.

Gilbert, LD. Ethnic Militias and Conflict in the Niger Delta Region: The International Dimensions(1999-2007).(Forthcoming).

Gilbert, LD. ̳Youth Militancy, Amnesty and Security in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria‘. Paper presented at the Joint Africa Institute of South Africa/South African Association of Political Studies (AISA/SAAPS) Colloquium, Burgers Park Hotel, Pretoria, South Africa, 15-16 October 2009