THE MILKING OF THE NIGERIAN STATE: INTERROGATING THE RISING THREAT OF CRUDE OIL THEFT
Abstract
The constant and frequent stealing of the Nigeria’s economic mainstay—crude oil—in the Niger Delta at different levels and by different actors is causing the country a fortune. The conservative average loss of 300,000 barrels a day because of the illegal activities of thieves in the production process is costing the federal government about $1.7 billion a month. However, despite all the measures taken by the government to stop this economic sabotage, crude oil theft, continues to increase in scope and dimensions. It has been proven that those who are involved in crude oil theft include employees of the International Oil Companies, retired and serving military and security personnel, officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, indigenous oil producers, top politicians and their enablers. This means, this economic sabotage cannot be stopped in the conventional way. Scientific solution, it appears, is the answer for now. The most promising means of combating fuel theft, in the literature at present, is fuel ‘marking’. Fuel marking allows stolen or diverted fuel to be identified and recovered, and it processes can be used as admissible scientific evidence to prosecute fuel thieves and smugglers in a court of law.
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Abiodun, A. (2007). Natural Resources and Conflcit in Africa.The Tragedy of Endownment. New York: University of Rochester Press
Adekanye, J. B. (2005). Reforming the character of civil-military relations for democratic governance in Nigeria after 1999.Distinguished Lecture Series No 8.Faculty of Social Sciences. University of Lagos (May)
Boris, H. O. and Job E. (2015). The Irony of Amnesty Programme: Incessant Oil Theft and Illegal Bunkering in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention, Volume 4 Issue 8, PP.09-18. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/db6f/5de8a192f786fb7c6431b3f40a105f03c149.pdf.
Campbell, J. (2010). Nigeria: Dancing on the Brink. Ibadan: Bookcraft
Chika I. (May 13, 2019). Impact of Illegal Bunkering, Oil Theft On Nigerian Economy. Leadership.https://leadership.ng/2019/05/13/impact-of-illegal-bunkering-oil-theft-on nigerian-economy/.
Clarke, D. (2010). Africa: Crude Continent. The Struggle for Africa’s oil Prize. London: Profile Books
Dimieari, V. K. (2006). Fueling the violence: Non-state Armed Actors in the Niger Delta. New York:Institute of International Studies
Echenim, S. (2014).Demystifying the Economics of oil bunkering.Leadership Newspaper. February 9
Francis, P., LaPin D., &Rossiaco P, (2011) Securing Development and Peace in the Niger Delta: A Social and Conflict Analysis for Change. Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
Human Rights Watch(2002). The Niger Delta: No Democratic Dividiend. Human Rigths Watch Short Report (October)
Igbuku, A. (2014) Crude Oil Theft and Illegal Refining in the Niger Delta. Paper Presented by the Manager, Ogoni Restoration Project Augustine Igbuku on Behalf of the Managing Director SPDC at the Delta State Oil and Gas Stakeholders ‘Conference, April, 15, 2014. Available online at:http://reformeronline.com/crude-oil-theft-and-illegal-refining-in-the niger-delta/ [26].
Ikelegbe, A. (2005). The Economy of conflict in the oil rich Niger Delta, Nordic journal of African Studies, 14(2): 218-234.
Ikelegbe, A. (2010). Oil Resource Conflicts and Post Conflict Transition in the Niger Delta Region: Beyond the Amnesty. Benin City. Centre for Population and Environmental Development (CPED) monograph series, No.3 [27].
International Crisis Group (2006). Fueling the Niger Delta crisis. Africa Report 118. http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?action=login&ref_id=4394
Leadership (2012) President Jonathan laments oil theft in Nigeria. July 23rd. http://nigerarea.com/?p=16950. Accessed 24/07/2012
Margonelli, L. (2008). Oil on the Brain: Petroleum’s Long, strange trip to your tank. New York: Broadway Books
Nigerian Natural Resource Charter (2018). NNRC Assesses the Impact of Crude Oil Theft on Nigerians. http://www.nigerianrc.org/nnrc-assesses-the-impact-of-crude-oil-theft-on nigerians/.
Norwitz, J. H. (ed) (2009). Pirates, Terrorists, and Warlords: The history, influence and future of armed groups around the world. New York: Skyhouse Publishing
Obafemi O. (2019). Shell Says It Loses 10,000 Barrels of Oil Per Day to Crude Theft in Nigeria. https://www.marketscreener.com/ROYAL-DUTCH-SHELL-6273/news/Shell-Says-It Loses-10-000-Barrels-of-Oil-Per-Day-to-Crude-Theft-in-Nigeria-29179970/.
Obafemi O. (2019). Shell Says It Loses 10,000 Barrels of Oil Per Day to Crude Theft in Nigeria. https://www.marketscreener.com/ROYAL-DUTCH-SHELL-6273/news/Shell-Says-It Loses-10-000-Barrels-of-Oil-Per-Day-to-Crude-Theft-in-Nigeria-29179970/.
Okechukwu, N (July 10th, 2019). Mark Nigerian crude to end theft, NOSDRA tells FG. The Punch. https://punchng.com/mark-nigerian-crude-to-end-theft-nosdra-tells-fg/
Okechukwu, N (July 10th, 2019). Mark Nigerian crude to end theft, NOSDRA tells FG. The Punch.https://punchng.com/mark-nigerian-crude-to-end-theft-nosdra-tells-fg/.
Olusegun A. (September 19, 2019). The Rising Menace of Oil Thieves.Thisday. https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/09/19/the-rising-menace-of-oil-thieves/.
Onyango, G. K. (2011). The Place of Spoilers in Peace Processes in Sudan.African Journal of Political Science and International Relations. Vol. 6(8):167-18
Osah, G.(2017). ‘Resurgence of Armed Conflict in the Niger Delta Region and Nigeria’s National Security’ in Ogbonna E. Chijioke (ed.) Discourses on Peace and Conflict in Nigeria: An Interdisciplinary Approach. Lagos: Emaphine Reprographic, 131-150
Osah, G., Atere, C., Eti, C.&Amakihe, B. (2015). ‘Poverty and Insecurity in Nigeria: Implications for National Development’. Babcock University Journal of Education Vol.1 (1): 130-135
Osaneku, M. (2013). Crude oil theft: Crime against the economy. Nigeria Oil and Gas Monthly. August 16
Shaka, M. (2019).Unending Oil Theft.Thisday. https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/09/09/unending-oil-theft/.
Tamuno, T. N. (2011). Oil wars in the Niger Delta: 1849-2009. Ibadan: Stirling-Horden Publishers
ThisDay, 2004
Volker, B. and Angelika, S. (2005). The Challenge of War Economies: The Role of the International Community and Civil Society Organization. Germany: Berghof Research Center for Constructive Management
Watts, M. (2004) „Resource Curse? Governmentability, Oil and Power in the Niger Delta‟, Nigeria Geopolitics, 9 (1), 50-80
Wilson, G. (2014). The Nigerian State and Oil theft in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria.Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa. Vol. 16(1):69-81
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
ISSN (Print): 2276-8645
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.