Illegal Oil Bunkering: One Headache too Many
Crude oil theft is an increasing phenomenon in Nigeria The recent upsurge of crude oil theft, also known as illegal oil bunkering in Nigeria has become an issue that now gives the government, oil producing companies and Nigerians as a whole sleepless nights. While economies of countries, where Nigeria's illegally bunkered oil are sold thrive on this cheap and illicit oil, that of Nigeria, biggest oil producer in Africa has continued to dwindle, writes Chika Amanze-NwachukuThe Nigerian constitution provides that all minerals, oil and gas in Nigeria belong to the federal government; therefore the possession of crude oil by an individual or group other than those licensed to lift oil is illegal and punishable under the law. Despite the law in place, theft of Nigeria's crude oil has been a decade-long issue and in recent time, has been on the increase. Top government officials, the military and some highly-placed Nigerians, including top traditional rulers in the oil producing areas had been fingered as some of the culprits, but till date known of these top politicians or individual has been interrogated or brought to book.Not too long ago, a Nigerian magazine reported that a select group of officials in the Nigerian ...
Read more