The niger delta has substantial oil and gas reserves. Origin and occurrence of crude oil in the niger delta, nigeria. Bayelsa, rivers, cross rivers, akwa ibom, delta, edo, abia, ebonyi and imo states. The niger delta region comprises of 9 administrative states in nigeria namely. Nigerian oil pipeline hit by fresh violence in niger delta. This book provides an insightful history of how the royal shell corporation and other oil companies have destroyed the environment and societies of the niger delta. The niger delta region has a population of about 34 million people 2005 and covers an area of about 70,000 sq. The paper examines oil exploration and the challenges of food security in the niger delta. The book starts with a short history of western colonialism from the 1600s to the wwii. Oil exploration and the challenges of food security. The niger delta is the delta of the niger river sitting directly on the gulf of guinea on the atlantic ocean in nigeria. Jul, 2011 since oil operations began, 546 million gallons of oil have spilled into nigerias niger delta. Founding chairman, late chief godwin aret adams, a former group managing director of the nigerian national petroleum corporation nnpc, and other highly respected professionals came together to initiate a truly indigenous public oil company.
The niger delta conflict began in the 1990s in regards to the ongoing conflict between the militia groups of nigeria, the nigerian government, and the foreign oil corporations set up in the niger delta. Therefore the focus of this study was to determine the cause of conflicts in the niger delta region of nigeria as expressed by the youth in delta state. Featuring images by worldrenowned photojournalist ed kashi and text by prominent nigerian journalists, human rights activists, and university of california at berkeley professor michael watts, this book. Niger delta oil spill cleanup launched but could take quarter of a century read more crucially, oil spills that occurred while the mother was still pregnant had no effect on child or neonatal. Aug 08, 2010 the niger delta region has a population of about 34 million people 2005 and covers an area of about 70,000 sq. An oil workers representative said on monday that there was another attack on an oil pipeline in the niger delta, which a fairly new militant group had claimed on saturday the niger delta. The people live in a few large cities and over 3,000 small and often remote communitiesvillages in the mangrove, swamp and lowland rain forests. In the late 1980s, several indigenous tribal groups began raising concerns about international oil company operations in the niger delta, a region of about.
British shipping had been paramount there when the british slave trade had been abolished in 1807, and the merchants of the delta citystates had quickly adapted themselves to offering palm oil as an alternative export to slaves. It begins with an examination of the prehistory of the region, with particular focus on the urhobo and their close ethnic neighbour, the isoko. Oil spills in the niger delta extent of the problem. In addition, chief daniel obiomah has given a cogent eyewitness account of british colonial era in urhoboland in his short autobiographical statement which we now publish here. Niger delta geographical region, africa britannica. Sep 23, 2018 a view shows the bonny oil terminal in the niger delta which is operated by royal dutch shell in port harcourt, nigeria august 1, 2018. It encapsulates their journey from the earliest records to the present. The nigerian economy before the discovery of crude oil. Some communities in the niger delta have been destroyed by oil and gas exploration and production activities to such an extent that the lands can no longer support crop farming. There is no easy way out of this, and we will all see that at the end it is the only way out. Niger delta niger delta facts history of niger delta. Pollution worsens around shell oil spills in nigeria wsj.
Since oil operations began, 546 million gallons of oil have spilled into nigerias niger delta. The niger delta is a region suffering from administrative neglect, crumbling social infrastructure and services, high unemployment, social deprivation, abject poverty, filth and. During the tertiary it built out into the atlantic ocean at the mouth of the niger benue river system, an area of catchment that encompasses more than a million square kilometers of predominantly savannahcovered lowlands. The niger delta proper is actually made up of what came to be known in europe as the oil rivers city states of west africa in the late 18th and throughout the 19th century. Long out of print, this book brings together oral traditional evidence and all other available historical material including the work of the eminent historian of the niger delta, kenneth owuka dike. Causes of conflicts in the niger delta region of nigeria. Outside of benin, the niger delta was a collection of regions controlled by different tribes and kings, for example, urhobo, delta igbos, isoko, itsekiri, oron and ijaw note that the ijaw have always been the ethnic majority group in the delta. Oil mined in the area accounts for 95 percent of the countrys foreign exchange earnings and about onefourth of gross domestic product. Within the delta the river breaks up into an in nigeria. The whole region is devastated by oil exploitation, our waters polluted by almost daily oil spillage and the air poisoned by eternal gas flares, this led to the temper of the people bound to be short resulting to militancy and form part of the root causes of what has today become known as the niger delta struggle. The niger delta is a major producer of petroleum for nations such as the united states and because of the regions richness in oil, cases of exploitation have been reported as the majority of. The first title in a planned series of classic texts, written and published in africa, on the history and culture of the niger delta.
The most controversial spills come from pipeline blasts. Since 2006, militant groups in nigerias niger delta, especially the movement for the emancipation of the niger delta mend, have resorted to taking foreign employees of oil companies hostage. Aug 19, 2009 the niger delta conflict began in the 1990s in regards to the ongoing conflict between the militia groups of nigeria, the nigerian government, and the foreign oil corporations set up in the niger delta. The rivers frontier is a historic work on the rivers state indigenes of nigerias eastern niger delta. Oil and violence in the niger delta isnt talked about. More than 200 foreigners have been kidnapped since 2006, though most were released unharmed. The niger delta and national security a year before the events of september 11th 2001, the us department of state in its annual encyclopaedia of global terrorism identified the niger delta the geographical heart of oil production in nigeria as a breeding ground for militant and impoverished. The environmental damage around the site of two shell oil spills in nigeria a decade ago has worsened significantly after years of delay to cleanup efforts, according to a report the oil giant has. The niger delta is a major producer of petroleum for nations such as the united states and because of the regions richness in oil, cases of. The niger delta has a long history of militant activity dating back to and beyond the. A view shows the bonny oil terminal in the niger delta which is operated by royal dutch shell in port harcourt, nigeria august 1, 2018. Conflict and litigation between oil companies and village communities out of print try. History of urhobo people of niger delta vii understanding of urhobo history. Nigeria joined the ranks of oil producers in 1958 when its first oil field came on stream producing 5,100 bpd.
We are pleased to publish the wise lectures which they gave at our previous conferences. History of the urhobo people of niger delta is the most comprehensive compilation and study of various aspects of the history of the urhobo people of nigerias niger delta. Ridderhof on february 15, 20 leave a comment on january 30, 20, the court rechtbank in the hague, the netherlands, ruled that royal dutch shell can be held partially responsible for pollution in nigerias niger delta region and ordered it to pay damages to one farmer. The niger delta as a matter of urgency needs to rethink its development strategy by developing her nonoil sectors. The history of the niger delta in the period under survey is to some extent an introduction to the economic and political history of nigeria. Niger delta history pdf the oil rich niger delta region of nigeria has been embroiled in crisis. We also trust that those who seek to gain insights into the local dimensions and consequences of the atlantic world in the niger delta will find this book rewarding. Therefore, it is believed that if nigeria must diversify her economy and thus, reduce overreliance on oil and gas, especially at this time of recession, the following. Trade and human rights in the niger delta pambazuka news. Long out of print, this book brings together oral traditional evidence and all other available historical material including the work of the eminent.
The bulk of nigerias proven oil reserves, currently estimated at twenty billion barrels, is located in the area, although exploration is also going on in. Causes of conflicts in the niger delta region of nigeria as. Nigeria is one of the top producers of oil in the world and a major supplier of oil to the united states. Over the past two decades, at least a dozen pipeline disasters have killed thousands in nigeria. The niger delta is a vast lowlying region through which the waters of. Origin and occurrence of crude oil in the niger delta, nigeria article pdf available in journal of petroleum science and engineering 612. Nov 01, 2019 the rivers frontier is a historic work on the rivers state indigenes of nigerias eastern niger delta. Although the niger delta has a long history of violence, the situation has gone from. Airlift and airwar in biafra and nigeria 19671970 by michael i. Oil exploratory activities inevitably upturn the balance of the earth crust and degrade the larger environment through the dumping of harmful wastes, gas flaring and intermittent oil spillage. This book details their early encounters with europeans. History of the nigerian petroleum industry oil was discovered in nigeria in 1956 at oloibiri in the niger delta after half a century of exploration. It is typically considered to be located within nine coastal southern nigerian states, which include.
Before the advent of the crude oil trade in the niger delta, we have it on record that on 22 february 1895 the trading city, brass, located here, was attacked and levelled by british naval forces at the behest of the royal niger company to ensure that the company had a monopoly over the palm oil trade for which the town was famous. The book then embarks on a close assessment of the advent of british. By tony iyare recent report by the highly investigative newspaper, next on sunday that the niger delta is now awash with british and american private military companies pmcs engaged in security services for their clients in the oil and gas industry, is particularly chilling. The book, curse of the black gold, traces nigerias 50year history of oil interests. Thats the equivalent of an exxon valdez disaster happening every year for nearly 50 years.
Pdf origin and occurrence of crude oil in the niger delta. Draper, frederick forsyth out of print try used books. The niger delta is an unstable area of nigeria, and interethnic clashes are common often access to oil revenue is the trigger for the violence. Nov 06, 2017 niger delta oil spill cleanup launched but could take quarter of a century read more crucially, oil spills that occurred while the mother was still pregnant had no effect on child or neonatal. The discovery was made by shellbp, at the time the sole concessionaire. Oil and violence in the niger delta isnt talked about much. The hinterland adjacent to the territory was a major source of human labour for the americas from the 16th century and of palm oil to europe from the 18th century. The niger delta, which stretches for nearly 150 miles 240 km from north to south and spreads along the coast for about 200 miles 320 km, extends over an area of 14,000 square miles 36,000 square km. The wider aim is to unlock the languages of the niger delta region, enabling peoples from all over the world, to learn and communicate in them, leading to a deeper understanding of the. The research instrument was a self designed questionnaire named a. During the tertiary it built out into the atlantic ocean at the mouth of the nigerbenue river system, an area of catchment that encompasses more than a million square kilometers of. Mar 10, 2018 the niger delta has substantial oil and gas reserves.
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