ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRITY IN NIGERIA AND CHALLENGE OF CRUDE OIL THEFT
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Since the discovery of oil in Oloibiri a village in the Niger Delta by the Shell British Petroleum in 1956, the Nigerian economy has not only boosted financially
but also have suered the negative impact of oil activities going on in the territory.
The Niger Delta region is blessed with 606 oil fields of which 360 are on shore and 246 o
shore. The oil industry in Nigeria contributes a good percentage of
Nigeria’s economy earnings; however it has also become a source of loss in the Nigerian economy budget. This is associated with the oil spills from the oil
exploitation, and a more reoccurring and disturbing issue, is the activities of the oil thieves.
Oil the has become the order of the day, with our daily national newspapers parading these issues and no improvement in its reduction. The activities of oil
thieves have resulted in negative impacts in the environment, the Nigerian economy (national budget) and have also posed insecurity threats.
Unfortunately, the perpetrators of these crimes have monarchs and political backings and always get away with these crimes. All of these activities have only degraded the environment of the Nigeria State.
Laws/regulations and measures have been set out by the federal government to reduce and discourage the activities of the oil thieves. Regrettably, these
laws have been weakened by its enforcement strength, unemployment, institutional weakness of the relevant agency, and bribery and corruption, hence, the
government must first deal with the root of the problem before looking at the rest of it. This research work attempts to examine the challenge of crude oil in the Nigerian society and make recommendations
