Nigeria's Oil War, page 1

Originally posted by Lady of the Lake

The saving grace is the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force. See link for story. I think when you read this story you will see why the American Govt. is so interested in gaining control.

Ah come on Lady of the Lake, don't ya wanna admit at least alittle bias in that statement?

A saving grace? Let's take a quote right from the article you linked to:

When Eric Campbell caught up with the Force on their home turf in the heart of Nigeria's oil producing region, they were sending off the recently departed in fine style – swigging booze, taking drugs, firing their weapons into the air, and gunning their motorbikes through crowded village streets.

When they're not engaged in their own unique style of mourning, this well organized crime gang has become a key player in the world’s most strategically important industry – oil.

That's what you call a "saving grace"? An organized crime gang stealing oil to buy guns, drugs, and booze is going to save the people how?

If they were fighting for the oil to build schools and hospitals then I could see some accuracy in calling them a "saving grace", but these people are murdering and stealing for personal gain not some nationalistic goal.

There are many in these para-miltary groups who truely want to help their people, however many are also willing and able to further oppress those same people. Forcing youths to participate in violence and using extorted funds for drugs are good examples.
www.globalsecurity.org...

Ijaw youth groups are leading a struggle for the right to share their land's oil wealth. They have organised into groups, the most daring being the Egbesu Boys of Bayelsa, the Chicoco Movement, the Ijaw Youth Council, Federated Niger Delta Ijaw communities and the Niger Delta Volunteer Force. Several splinter groups have turned to extortion, hijacking, sabotage and kidnapping for private gain. Many of the Ijaw youths who are fighting are also idlers for whom violence has become a source of daily entertainment.

"Extortion, hijacking, sabotage and kidnapping for private gain" and violence as a source of daily entertainment. Be careful on who you pin your hopes on to fight off the greedy Americans.

By the way, Nigeria is a former French colony, French troops are still battling those groups in that part of Africa to keep it's friendly puppet governments in power.

Not to mention also that the company most often targeted for violence because of it's abuses on the people is Shell.......A DUTCH COMPANY.

Regardless of what popular opinion is, it's the European nations, the former colonial powers that have the most influence there not the US.

Add to the corruption and former colonial governments interference, the religous unrest (Muslim/Christian) and you get a very messy picture. I don't think Oil is the biggest problem there, in fact if the government of Nigeria can find a way to force the Oil companies to invest in the communities then there might be a positive story there.