Corruption remains endemic in Nigeria, but with the transition to democracy, some of the worst cases of graft are now being unraveled. Local officials here in the Delta accuse crime syndicates, with ties to government officials and security forces, of breaking pipelines to siphon off gas to sell to foreign countries. In the wake of such attacks, villagers come to scavenge for fuel. Explosions are common. More than 350 people were burned to death in an apocalyptic fire near Warri in July.
Oil spills are common.
More than 4,000 spills over the last four decades may make the Delta the most polluted area in the world. The meadows and streams here are still completely drenched in oil. Oil companies blame such spills on villagers, who they say sabotage wells and pipelines in an attempt to land cleaning contracts for their village. Shell is refusing to pay compensation for recent spills. How much of it the costs are saved due to poor environmental standards, I can t say, but it s obviously a factor.