Oil crimes: the Nigerian Dimension

摘要

In order to successfully combat the challenge of oil crime, which is acquiring an almost intractable dimension, there is need for the Government of Nigeria to be sufficiently proactive to unveil the prominent faces that appear to be behind such crimes without fear of political reprisal. This approach, together with the resolution of lapses in overall governance that make Nigeria something of an inevitable destination for such criminal enterprises, is likely to be the most successful means of destabilising the illegal trade and to achieve the diverting of excess crude oil earnings to poverty alleviation programs. Ultimately, relying on international intervention to solve oil crime without providing the appropriate enabling environment to address the various challenges would be futile. Organised crime rings are richer and more technologically advanced than most states. Combating the root causes of oil crime is therefore the most effective means of reducing this and also of minimising the danger that this poses to Nigeria's growth potential together with the integrity of global oil trade.