Technical Report on Harmful Impact of Illegal Bunkering of Crude Oil on the People and Environment of the Igbomatoru Community, Bayelsa, Niger Delta, Nigeria

Abstract

Nigeria is blessed with crude oil in an abundance, which makes it one of the largest oil producers in Africa. Illegal crude oil bunkering is a regular activity in the Niger Delta region in Nigeria. The trend of illegal bunkering of crude oil activities in the Niger Delta has turned out to be a key concern to the people, government, and the international body. This makes it deem fit to carry out an assessment of the continued negative impact of vandalism, crude oil theft, and illegal bunkering of oil production activities in the Igbomatoru community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area (SILGA), Bayelsa, Niger Delta area. This report critically examines the negative impact of vandalism and crude oil theft, negative impacts of illegal bunkering of crude oil activities in the community, and finding lasting possible solution to the problem of illegal bunkering of crude oil in the Igbomotoru community. Based on the investigation, some recommendations have been made, including that the government should promote a kick-start of cellular refinery programme to close the refining gap with strong local participation, provide legitimate employment opportunities, make better use of surveillance techniques, youth empowerment programmes should be carried out through vocational training, government should clean-up the degraded sites, government should give free education for the youths and children in the community, and government ought to promptly arrest and prosecute offenders of crude oil theft.