Vandalization of Oil Pipelines in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria and Poverty: An Overview

Abstract

The paper highlights pipeline vandalization and how it affects the oil communities in the Niger Delta, her food production and most importantly is the environmental effects of oil exploration in terms of the socio economy of the people, this paper focuses on how vandalization of pipeline as a manifestation of poverty in the Niger Delta. The act of destroying or bursting of oil pipelines in Niger Delta region is as a result of underdevelopment and fatal negligence of the well fare of the people by the federal and state government, oil pollution which occurs in the form of water contamination through oil spillage which results in very low fish catch, considering that this region has lost her farmland because of environmental; degradation through oil exploration, and oil exploitation. As a result of the complete neglect of these communities, poverty has become endemic in the Niger-Delta and its manifestation is in the incessant vandalization of oil pipelines, the various fire incidence that occurred at Jesse, 1998, Ovirri court 2000, others and their aftermath. Lastly, there is an attempt by this paper to state the federal government palliative programmes like OMPADEC and most recently, the Niger Delta Development commission (NDDC).

Key words: Vandalization; Oil pipeline; Poverty; Niger Delta