Page 12 - Nigeriaone mag 2 edition en

Nigeria: strengthening security at oil production sites, a

challenge for the industry

Police badge, illustrative image

Nigeria has been facing a major challenge for many than 200,000 barrels are transported daily to illicit refi-
years: insecurity. Unfortunately, the hydrocarbon sector neries. If human lives are not spared, neither is the envi-
has not been left behind. Indeed, while the country's ronment. The Niger Delta is one of the most polluted pla-
abundant hydrocarbons attract investors, numerous ces in the world.
criminal organizations have also set out to conquer the Government agencies have reportedly identified 142 si-
subsoil of the Niger Delta. This region alone generates tes, 128 of which were destroyed in February. Although
nearly 400 billion dollars. Every year, it is estimated that other similar tragedies have occurred, the measures ha-
illegal refineries take 10% of the national production. ve not been reduced. An intervention by the army led to
The stolen oil is transformed into highly flammable the destruction of several clandestine refineries. Their
smuggled gasoline. On April 24, no fewer than 100 wor- nocturnal working hours clearly no longer deceive the
kers at an illegal refinery lost their lives. vigilance of the troops deployed.
Since January 2022, the Nigerian government has imple- The extreme working conditions and the dangers to whi-
mented a campaign to eradicate illegal refinery sites. ch these illegal workers are exposed are no longer to be
This operation has been followed by the destruction of demonstrated. And even if steps are taken, this must be
more than a hundred of the discovered sites. The explo- coupled with an effective plan to fight unemployment.
sions, which caused terrifying devastation due to the Putting an end to these actions would therefore
dangerous exploitation of oil, revealed the activity car- necessarily involve a negotiation based largely on the is-
ried out in the shadows by the population. The latter, gui- sue of employment.
ded by poverty and unemployment, find their way to The problems linked to oil production are numerous.
employment in very risky pseudo-industries. The solutions put in place by the government aim to
Several investigations have identified a shipment of avoid upsetting the population, given the fragile balance
stolen oil at one of the sites, which was then transported that artisanal refining maintains between several pla-
to the site. The illicit refining process, which consists of yers. Several opinions agree that the promotion of mo-
heating the liquid to a very high temperature, has alrea- dular refineries by legalizing them is a solution. This
dy condemned hundreds of human lives. Despite laws should reduce crime and improve security in the creeks
established by the authorities, the practice persists, har- that are the locations of illegal refining centers.
ming adults and children alike. It is estimated that more

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