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Stolen Nigeria oil 'goes to Balkans and Singapore' | Stolen Nigeria oil 'goes to Balkans and Singapore' |
(35 minutes later) | |
The main buyers of the estimated 180,000 barrels of oil stolen each day in Nigeria are based in the Balkans and Singapore, a campaigner says. | The main buyers of the estimated 180,000 barrels of oil stolen each day in Nigeria are based in the Balkans and Singapore, a campaigner says. |
Patrick Dele Cole, a politician from the oil-rich Niger Delta region, said 90% of the stolen oil is being shipped out of the country illegally. | Patrick Dele Cole, a politician from the oil-rich Niger Delta region, said 90% of the stolen oil is being shipped out of the country illegally. |
He has launched a "Stop The Theft" campaign to end to the practice. | He has launched a "Stop The Theft" campaign to end to the practice. |
Nigeria is one of the world's biggest oil producers but most of its people remain mired in poverty. | |
'Day of reckoning' | |
The campaign is seeking to have ships tracked by satellite and for the money trail to be exposed. | The campaign is seeking to have ships tracked by satellite and for the money trail to be exposed. |
"Once you start asking questions and throwing light on this problem, you have solved more than 50% of the problem," said Mr Dele Cole, a veteran diplomat and former presidential adviser. | "Once you start asking questions and throwing light on this problem, you have solved more than 50% of the problem," said Mr Dele Cole, a veteran diplomat and former presidential adviser. |
"I think you should send out a warning to those who being extremely rich, that their day of reckoning is coming." | "I think you should send out a warning to those who being extremely rich, that their day of reckoning is coming." |
The entire oil sector in Nigeria is riddled with corruption, says BBC Nigeria correspondent Will Ross. | |
Many politicians are involved, he says, with part of the proceeds being used to fund election campaigns and buy votes. | Many politicians are involved, he says, with part of the proceeds being used to fund election campaigns and buy votes. |
The Nigerian army is supposed to stop the thieving but, although some arrests have been made, soldiers routinely take bribes of cash or fuel to turn a blind eye to the crime, our correspondent says. | The Nigerian army is supposed to stop the thieving but, although some arrests have been made, soldiers routinely take bribes of cash or fuel to turn a blind eye to the crime, our correspondent says. |
Mr Dele Cole said that about 10% of the snatched oil was being refined locally by gangs operating in the delta's creeks and swamps. | Mr Dele Cole said that about 10% of the snatched oil was being refined locally by gangs operating in the delta's creeks and swamps. |
The rest is mainly going to criminal networks in Ukraine, Serbia and Bulgaria, or to Singapore, which is the world's top refiner, he said. | |
"It's been a problem for a long time, but when it was 50,000 barrels, people thought [it] was tolerable. Now we're at a totally different level," he told Reuters news agency | |
The theft of 180,000 barrels of oil a day is costing Nigeria, at current oil prices, $6bn (£3.75) a year, our correspondent notes. | The theft of 180,000 barrels of oil a day is costing Nigeria, at current oil prices, $6bn (£3.75) a year, our correspondent notes. |