OPINION: BLAME OIL HOST COMMUNITIES ON RECENT CASES OF OIL SPILL, OTHER INCIDENTS OF CRIMINALITY IN NIGER-DELTA REGION

By Zik Gbemre

While I am aware that some of the recorded oil spills in the Niger Delta area are caused by ‘equipment failures’, but the majority of the cases of oil spill are caused and encouraged by the locals of these host communities. I have reiterated several times that host Communities’ locals/leaders of the Niger Delta area, are actively involved in these cases of pipeline vandalization, illegal bunkering (crude oil theft) and illegal refineries. This is because there is no way ‘strangers’ can conveniently engage in illegal bunkering/pipeline vandalization and illegal refineries’ activities without the active involvement/collaboration/cooperation of the host Communities’ locals/leaders.

For example, all the recorded spills in some Communities along the Utorogu creeks in Ughelli South LGA of Delta State, were caused by the activities of illegal bunkerers/pipeline vandals living in those areas. In fact, some of these Communities have been known as the “illegal bunkering Yards” for some years now in the said locations. If you drive to these areas, you will see the enormous damages done to the environment as a result of these criminality. The illegal bunkerers in those areas are alleged to be indigenes of some Communities in Ughelli South LGA of Delta State. While some groups are specialized and focused on cutting the pipelines so as to create labour for spill clean ups/remediation contracts for their communities, since any Contractor engaged must source the labour from the host communities concerned; the other groups cut the pipeline to steal crude oil and condensate for the purpose of illegal bunkering and illegal refineries trade.

In fact, this criminality has been legalized/officialized in these host Communities of the Niger Delta area where oil and condensate pipelines are laid/passed through. But the host Communities’ locals and their leaders encourage it. But who do we blame for this, when the communities’ locals and their leaders willfully destroy their own environment for quick money? Majority of the environmental degradation in the host communities of the Niger Delta area are caused by the indigenes. No stranger will go into the bushes of any community to cut pipelines. Sadly, after creating these environmental hazards, it is the same locals that would raise alarm and cry out that the oil companies have polluted their environment. But nobody is wondering why the people have refused to be responsible in the protection of their environment. Yet, they cry out as if the oil companies are the ones polluting the environment.

Similar to this crime, is the recently observed criminality of stealing diesel meant for the generators used to power the Masts of Network providers in some host communities of Ughelli South. Aside the fact that the locals are engaged by the network providers to guard these Telecom facilities and fuel the generators with diesel provided to them, it is appalling that they still steal and sell the diesel. As such, the generators go off every now and then – leaving the locals in these Communities with very poor networks for telecommunication. These and many more are some of the self-inflicting criminal tendencies engaged by some host communities’ locals against their own land and people.

According to Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu, former Managing Director(MD)/Country Chair of Shell Companies in Nigeria, in one of his reported interviews in SHELL WORLD MAGAZINE, he said: “Of course, we would like to see more happening from Government. As a company, (referring to Shell (SPDC)), we will continue to play an advocacy role to ensure an increasing presence of Government in the areas where we operate and in the larger Nigerian society.” According to Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu also, “the issue of oil spills is still related, largely to insecurity in the operating environment. A great majority of Shell(SPDC) spills are occurring because of violence and vandalism, and crude oil theft. Again, the fundamental answer to that is still about law and order. We have to also appeal to the conscience and sensibilities at those there in the host communities because many of them still do not have the appreciation of the devastation spills do to the environment. All of these show that the host community people ignorantly destroy their own environment.” The former Managing Director(MD)/Country Chair of Shell Companies in Nigeria also said that: “There was a time when the Federal Government was really focused on fighting crude oil and condensate theft, and to a large extent, they succeeded in 2003 and 2004… The people are demanding more from the government and in the process, they are venting their anger and frustration on oil companies, which is a major source of revenue to the Government.” This is why the Government at all levels need to support the oil companies to sustain oil and condensate production. The criminality and deliberate bursting of pipelines must stop because it destroys the environment and causes loss of revenue to the Government at all levels.

While I am not here to speak for the oil companies, because they also have their own flaws, but let us be truthful to ourselves for once. The truth is that the oil companies cannot play the role of the Government in addressing the developmental gaps in the region. They have their limitations. But if the oil companies are known to dully acquire the lands used for the exploration and production activities from the host communities, and the right compensations made to them, which rents are renewed subsequently; and they still patronize the host communities’ locals with community-based social investments projects to secure the oil, condensate and gas production – why then would the locals and their leaders still encourage and get involved in the stated level of criminality just to make quick money?

Let us also bear in mind that the oil companies provide yearly budgeted funds to these host communities, which they call Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) – intended for them to use for their sustainable development projects/programs. And what the oil companies give these host communities via the GMoU initiative, which they do not interfere in, is more than enough to transform these host Communities if appropriately used for the purpose it is provided for. Yet, after mismanaging/misappropriating the said GMoU funds, these locals still engage in other forms of criminality that are detrimental to their own natural environment and habitable livelihood. There are other groups of indigenous contractors/local welders/fitters who do the clamping/welding of pipelines. But they are also known to pay pipeline vandals to bust pipelines, so as to create jobs for the pipeline clamping/welding contractors. All of these people are indigenes of the Niger Delta areas.

Even when the oil companies engage the host communities and their indigenes to Guard the oil pipelines, the situation became worse as they practically legalize oil theft and pipeline vandalization – as if it is their right to pollute the environment and steal crude oil and condensate. The host communities’ people of the Niger Delta area know in their hearts that illegal bunkering/pipeline vandalization and illegal refinery activities are caused by the natives themselves.

It is also vital to note that the criminal activities of illegal bunkerers/oil thieves/pipeline vandals, have almost burnt down the Olomu/Okpare bridge in Delta State, which took over 40 years of relentless agitations before it was built and completed. But these vandals/illegal bunkerers/oil thieves have refused to listen to the voice of reason. A drive to the Olomu/Okpare bridge, one will behold the adverse impact of the burnt environment, which is seen clearly. One begins to wonder why, and how will a people deliberately destroy their own natural environment and social investment infrastructural project like the said bridge? With the completion of the said Olomu/Okpare bridge, the motorists/cyclists that used to pass accross from Jeremi clan towns/villages to Okpare,other Olomu clan villages/towns and down to Ughelli main city, has made life easy for them. But with these illegal bunkering/oil theft/pipeline vandalization activities in these areas of Ughelli South LGA, if care is not taken, and if this illegal trade is not stopped, it will burn the entire bridge down. And that will cause untold hardships and sufferings to everybody passing through the stated Okpare/Olomu bridge.

One would have thought that the political leaders from the region would help matters by always telling their people the truth because it is the money from crude oil revenue that has been the substances sustaining every aspect of the Nigerian economy, including the salaries/emoluments of the elected political leaders, law makers, appointed public officials, councillors, council chairmen, the various development interventionist Commissions like the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), the Security Operatives, the Civil Service Workers, Pensioners, Judiciary Workers etc. But all that packs of lies and pretense will not help us as a people to have a cleaner environment in the Niger-Delta. I have said my piece!

Zik Gbemre.

June 8, 2020.

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