May 22,
2008: In the Niger River Delta, MEND,
the tribal rebel group, has rejected a government proposal to end the violence
against the oil production facilities. The government suggested that various
factions of MEND incorporate and take government contracts to provide security
for portions of the oil facilities in the delta region. MEND called this an
outright bribe, and reminded the government that MEND wanted to improve living
conditions for all the people living in the delta. The government just wants to
stop the violence which has halted about a quarter of the nation's oil
production.
In
addition to the deliberate violence, Nigeria has an accident rate that is
several times that found in Western countries. Recently, 43 soldiers, returning
from a peacekeeping mission overseas, were killed when their convoy collided
with a fuel tanker. The roads are bad and the driving habits are worse. This
applies to construction equipment as well. Recently, an excavator hit a fuel pipeline
while working on a road, causing an
explosion that killed 15-100 people (depending on who you believe, getting
accurate information if often a problem as well.) The pipelines are poorly
maintained by the state owned oil company.
May 19,
2008: The hijacked supply boat has been
located (it's difficult to hide), and police have surrounded it and are
negotiating with the pirates. During the first three months of the year, 20
percent of pirate attacks worldwide, took place off Nigeria, mainly in the Niger
River delta. The country has 850 kilometers of coastline, but the navy has only
17 ships, and many are out of action because of poor maintenance. Moreover, in
the delta, there are some 3,000 separate waterways emptying into the ocean,
giving pirates plenty of hiding places. The navy has only eleven ships
patrolling the delta.
May 13,
2008: Pirates seized a supply ship (that
services offshore oil platforms) and demanded $260,000 ransom for the boat and
its 11 man crew (two foreigners and nine Nigerians.)
