As one of the leading oil-producing countries in Africa, Nigeria loses billions of dollars to the activities of vandals of petroleum products pipelines. The oil bunkering business is as old as the discovery of crude oil in the ancient community of Oloibiri in the old Rivers State but now in Bayelsa State.
Aside hostage taking, oil bunkering business, even though illegal, is another thriving business not only in the Niger Delta region but also in the other states of the federation where there are oil installations or wherever the petroleum products pipeline run through. Though, youths from the other region participate in the business, the focus has always been on the Niger Delta region because of the volume of the activities of bunkerers carried out in the region and as a result of its proximity to the oil installations in the county. For instance, at a location in Lagos State, early this year, no fewer than 40 people were roasted to the death in the process of siphoning fuel from broken pipelines.
While some people blamed the fire incident resulting from the petroleum pipeline vandalisation on the ruptured pipelines, the affected oil companies, in their own defence, always attributed it to the activities of the pipelines vandals. The activities of the vandals in recent past have led to the unplanned exit of some oil companies in the region, which in turn has affected the economy of the region.
Militancy, according to the self-styled leader of the Niger Delta People Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Alhaji Mujaheed Dokubo-Asari, said the agitation for resource control and emancipation of the Niger Delta people had nothing to do with criminal activities such as pipeline products vandalism, kidnapping of expatriates and other related social vices. Most of the youths in the region are being used by well-to-do politicians to perpetrate the act.
When you look at what is involved in the business, as rightly put by the freedom fighters, one will rightly discover that those that are involved in the business aside the fact that they are well-to-do, the majority of them are not from the Niger Delta axis of the country. However, the perpetrators, even though they are not from the region, always capitalised on the age long marginalisation of the people from the region by the successive administrations in the country to perpetrate the act. In some occasions, they blamed the oil companies over what is being described as non-implementation of the Global Memorandum of Understanding and insensitivity to the plight of the host communities.
The activity of the vandals is responsible for the formation of the Joint Task Force (JTF) to checkmate their excesses, noting the relevance of crude oil to the nation�s economy. Nigeria is operating what could be best described as a monolithic economy with 100 per cent emphasis on crude oil production. Also in recent time, members of the Civil Defence Corps have joined forces with the security personnel in the country to guard against the activities of vandals.
In Bayelsa State, former Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, had set up a security outfit coded Bayelsa Volunteer to police the state waterways to curb the nefarious activities of the vandals as well as the sea pirates. Aside the fact that the activity of the vandals is taking its toll on the economy of the state, as the monthly revenue accrue to the state from the Federation Account keeps on nose diving on a daily basis. Also, private individuals, especially motorists are counting their losses on a daily basis with the influx of adulterated fuel coded Asari fuel.
While a litre of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, sells for N75, that of Asari sells for N20 per litre at what supposed to be a black market but is now an open market. The hawkers always display their product along major streets in the town. In riverine areas, both men and women specialize in the product. This can be attributed to non-availability of accessible roads.
Sometimes ago in Amassoma, in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state, a middle-aged woman who specialised in the sale of the adulterated fuel was roasted to death. This is one of the tragedies recorded in the coastal areas of the state. Even though some people blame it on non-availability of access roads and diversion of consignment meant for the state, another school of thought opined that non-availability of fuel is not enough reason to be involved in the illegal business.
Bad or adulterated fuel, according to motorists, is not restricted to the roadsides alone; some filling stations are alleged to be involved in the shady deal. Some motorists who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that many a times, they had been forced to either work on their motor engines or change it completely. One of the practicing journalists in the state once told the Nigerian Tribune that he preferred to use Asari fuel because of the state of his motor engine, submitting that the engine was already on its way out.
However, while the fuel is said not to be good for the motor engine, the people see it as the best alternative source of fuel for their electricity generating sets. The reason is that such fuel is always mixed with the oil. Whatever reason is adduced for the sale of adulterated fuel, the loss is more than the gain. The smoke from the exhaust pipes of either cars or power generating sets pollutes not only the environment but is also harmful to the users of such fuel.
Also, the continued activity of vandals on the high sea has robbed the nation of billions of dollars annually. Not only this, in Bayelsa State, the money that could have been used for meaningful capital projects is invested on security due to the prevailing situation. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo made it a policy during his tenure that any amount spent in resolving the crisis emanating from youth restiveness shall be deducted from the allocation of whichever state the incident happen. He also stated during one of his visits to the state that he had just received a letter from one of the companies handling dualisation of the East/West Road, notifying him of their intention to leave the project site.
The fact, today, is that the activities of vandals of petroleum products� pipelines affect Nigeria�s economy. Many times, they result in shortage of petroleum products for end users, product scarcity, and often frustrate government effort at ensuring stability in the oil sector.