Nigeria’s president, Umaru Yar’Adua, told a visiting OPEC delegation that Nigeria can now meet its current production quota of 1.8 million barrels per day. The president declared the conflict that plagued the oil producing Niger Delta has ended after a recent amnesty for rebels in the region that he called successful.
“Our problem is over,” he [...]

An Amnesty International report examines oil spills, gas flaring, waste dumping and other environmental impacts of the oil industry in the Nigeria Niger Delta. Chief culprit: Shell Petroleum.

Crude oil for local refineries in Nigeria will run out in two weeks. And despite government amnesty offer, Niger delta militia continue their attacks, even forcing Shell Petroleum to shut down two thirds of their oil field in Nigeria. Has the militia achieved their goal?

Nigerian president Umaru Yar’Adua has proclaimed an unconditional amnesty to all Niger Delta militants in the creeks as well as those facing prosecution in the law courts, including Henry Okah, standing a secret trial on a 62-count charge of treason, terrorism, illegal possession of firearms and arms trafficking. The pardon comes with a 60-day deadline [...]

Ahead of Thursday’s announcement of the terms of Presidential amnesty offer for militants in the Niger Delta, the major militant groups in the Niger Delta have vowed to continue its ‘Oil War’ code-named Hurricane Piper Alpha. The groups said it would decide on its next line of action after hearing the speech of President Umaru [...]

A troubling video of Nigerian soldiers executing two unarmed brothers in the Niger Delta sparks outrage. I have watched the video over and over again…and shuddered each time.
Is this the kind of military operation occurring in the delta?
Here is the clip, NOTE: the execution happened about 2 minutes into the video, watch with caution:

Nigeria’s government on Wednesday ordered Julius Berger, the nation’s biggest construction firm, to pay back around $42 million after it failed to finish a major road project in the Niger Delta.
“The Federal Executive Council today approved that Julius Berger be asked to refund the sum of 6.1 billion naira that had been the balance [...]

The President of Nigeria Umaru Yar’Adua says his government is considering granting amnesty to rebel groups in the Niger Delta if they disarm. Measures would include offering rehabilitation to militants and helping them to reintegrate into society. But the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta say they will not give up arms on [...]

Every day, more than half a million barrels of crude oil are stolen off the Nigerian oil pipelines. At a time the oil revenue is down 50%, illegal oil theft is costing the nation more than $1.5billion annually. A recent newspaper report points to a cabal of retired military generals as the major culprit. The action of the retired general amounts to a declaration of war, but can the Nigerian head of state — handicapped by ill-health — prevail?

The hopelessly vicious cycle of violence, theft and slow economic strangulation in the Niger Delta is becoming clearer every day: recent estimate indicates oil stolen countrywide is as much as $1.5 billion a year at current prices, and most likely a good chuck of the money helps the militia stay in force in the Niger Delta.