OIL PIPELINE VANDALIZATION IN THE NIGER DELTA REGION OF NIGERIA

OIL PIPELINE VANDALIZATION IN THE NIGER DELTA REGION OF NIGERIA

ABSTRACT: All over the world, pollution is the top-most thing any nation will want to condone. This is because of what it brings along. The most feared pollution is caused by the hydrocarbon industries in which one of them is the exploration going on in the Niger Delta. The multinationals and the government have shown no concern to the region since the inception of the exploration in the 1950s, and by this means the region has remained in abject poverty, kidnapping, militancy amnesty, bad road, poor water supply, etc. this issue has been associated with the people of the region for so long that one began to think if there is really a way out. Drawing awareness of this issue is the purpose of this research which portrays the account of marginalization, alienation, and brutalization of the inhabitants of the region, how it gave way to protest and went on to become the issue of militancy in the Niger Delta region. This research has suggested that the government should rise-up to its responsibility and empower the lives of the people by providing basic amenities like good road, power supply, good water, security, job opportunities soft loan for youths intending to venture into small scale businesses. This will go a long way in bettering the lives of the people of the Niger Delta. This will also go a long way to bring about a lasting solution in the region and Nigeria at Large. This study has been divided into chapters covering the introductory to the project: oil pipeline vandalization in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, a review of Literature research, documentation, project methodology, and conclusion.

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CHAPTER ONE

BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

The Niger Delta region of Nigeria reputed to be one of the most richly endowed deltas in the world, contributes about 80% of Nigeria’s national wealth. Years of political and economic marginalization, environmental degradation, bad governance and policy inconsistency by the government, and the divide and rule policy of the oil companies led to the emergence of militancy in the Niger delta in early 2006. The various activities of militants have created a state of general insecurity in the region.

This is a research project into the possibility of using painting as communication skills in interpreting the events that led to the ongoing hostility in the oil-producing communities of the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria. This issue has dented the image of Nigeria on the international scene, putting all attention on the disruptions by the resisting youths, who are regarded as militants instead of addressing the cause of their uprising.

In this research, the painting will be used as possible ways to showcase the events that have led to the vandalization of pipelines by militancy, and other social disturbances in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria.

The Oxford dictionary definition of vandalization is the deliberate destruction of public or private property willfully or maliciously. The pipe is a tubular section of hollow cylinders usually, but not necessarily of circular cross-section, used mainly to convey substances such as liquids and gases (fluids), water, crude oil, fuel, etc. The pipe is required as the most valuable material in terms of transporting things that are flammable; pipe can be buried in the ground and also be mounted on the surface. The pipe has a variation in size. The sizes of pipe depend on the barrels of crude oil to be transported.

The pipe used in transporting crude oil is made of metal. Because of its hotness, metals can stay longer depending on how the antirust is coated on it. Corrosion does not just affect the oil pipeline, so most of the oil spillage is caused by saboteurs.

Petroleum constitutes both naturally occurring unprocessed crude oil and petroleum products that are made up of refined crude oil. Fossil fuel petroleum is formed when large quantities of dead organisms are buried underneath sedimentary rocks and subjected to intense heat and pressure.

Niger Delta, Region include Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, and the River States. Niger Delta is the oil-producing region in Nigeria. The youths of the region have adopted through the Kaiama Declaration, the systems of disrupting the crude oil on their homeland since their demands of better conditions from the government were not met, and they have extended it to the off-shore oil rigs and crude shipping vessels. They constantly raid, kidnap, destroy the property of oil conglomerates and vandalize pipelines in order to cut supplies.

Oil is good business but the people suffer grinding poverty caused by vandalization of oil pipes from the oil industries located in the region.

The vandalization has caused;

1. Despoliation to the land, depriving farmers of their land and loss of crop harvests, etc.
2. Pollution to rivers and other water bodies, killing fishes, mangroves, depriving domestic animals of freshwater, and loss of aquatic creatures.

With thus insufficiency came upon the contented people of the region, causing the current issues of:

• High levels of poverty
• Sickness
• Kidnapping
• Arms trading
• Robbery
• Vandalism
• Bunkering activities
• Attacks on oil installations
• Communal clashes.

Most times, this cannot happen without bloodshed and heavy casualties recorded on both sides (government task force and the militants).

All these cost lots of lives, waste of resources, and a nation’s reputation in not being able to resolve its internal issues. Also, the militants have been on the attack as part of their campaign strategies on communities that have shown no support for their cause and rebellion to the National Government of Nigeria, ipso facto leaving these communities virtually deserted and carting away their goods and money as a means of financing their communications and militancy campaigns.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Niger Delta as known in the 1960s, (southern Nigeria) is naturally blessed with the gift of naturally good weather, forests, mangroves, water bodies, and crude oil beneath its soils. The inhabitants were farmers and fishermen who even fortunes from naturally for tile soil and booming harvest of the seas.

Today due to the terrain of the Niger Delta Region, the inhabitants have suffered neglects in terms of developments despite its resources contributions to the national economy the people in the region suffer determination of environment and amenities, and in some cases, they do not have any at all.

The visibility study of the region reviles the following conditions:

• Bad roads
• Absent of connecting bridges
• Absent of pipe burn water
• Absent of electricity
• Unreliable job security
• Lack of basic health care
• Absence of security lives and properties in the region.

All these can in every way make life frustrating and in a matter of time result in anger and hostile behaviors which is the current experience in the Niger Delta.

AIMS OF THE STUDY

The aim of this research project is to explore and express the issue of pipeline vandalization in the Niger Delta through the facilities of painting.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

1. The objective of this research is to develop in painting the different aspects of the issue of pipeline vandalization in Niger Delta through the visual work of expression.
2. Also to use oil color as a metaphor oil product in creating the issue of Niger Delta oil exploration and pipeline vandalization.
3. To sensitize the public of some silent issues concerning the menace of pipeline vandalization that has either been ignored or have been reported in existing literature concerning the above topic. Therefore, painting is used to address the issue of pipeline vandalization in the Niger Delta Region.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The significance of this work is to show through fine arts, the issues concerning Niger Delta for review in order to redress the issues and find a lasting solution to it. Also, it will provide a visual picture of the pains, effect, damages someone can cause to himself by vandalizing oil pipeline, it will be expressed through painting.

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

The researcher undergo a lot of challenges in the cause of this project, they are;

• Financial challenges
• The usual power outage by power holding company Nigeria, (PHCN) was severely obstructed during painting in the night.
• Materials were really a problem as things are expensive now.