INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE AND EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

Abstract

The paper examined illegal oil bunkery and the life of the people of Abuator Community in Ndokwa East LGA of Delta State. Crude oil of recent has become a source of conflict as many youths who are struggling to eke a living are being sponsored by well placed Nigerians to engage in oil theft through oil pipeline vandalism and illegal bunkering. In the process thousands of barrels of crude and refined oil are daily being stolen at various points especially in the Abuator community in Delta State. The paper adopted the qualitative approach and therefore used descriptive design. The paper found that unemployment and poverty, corruption, and feeble institutional structures are responsible for the oil theft. It also notes that illegal oil bunkering is counter-productive, slows down the economy and affects the people’s health as well as environmental pollution. The paper recommends that youths in the study areas and beyond where the pipelines passes through and those on the creeks are in better position to protect the pipelines since they know the corners and are familiar with the terrain than the security agents. There should be mass unemployment among youths, many youths would be willing to do the surveillance, hence be contracted for the job.