The Impact of Oil Theft and Pipeline Vandalism: The Experience of the Residents of Abule-Egba in Lagos State (Published)
This paper looks at the experience of people living close to pipeline in Abuleegba. Both qualitative and quantitave method was used. Questionnaire was administered to 100 respondents in the pipeline area in Abuleegba, 92 were returned. In-depth interview was also conducted with victims of Abuleegba pipeline explosion. The study discusses the different factors interacting together to sustain vandalism and oil siphoning in the area. These factors include alliance between oil workers and oil thieves, corruption, lack of proper monitoring of pipelines and poverty among others. Apart from this, the study also identifies the effects of the explosion that occurred in January 2020 on the people living in the area. The study revealed that before the explosion people were already living in fear before the inferno. The explosion which occurred late evening claimed the lives of many people in the environment especially those who sleep in the trailers parked along the pipeline. A number of houses were burnt leaving many homeless and without anything to fall back on. For many their means of livelihood was taking away by the inferno. The study therefore recommends that government should priotize the security of people living in the pipeline area by constantly monitoring the pipelines as well as respond quickly to reports on pipeline vandalism by the community. The pipeline road should also be tarred and better security system has to be put in place to limit pipeline vandalism in the area.
Keywords: Abuleegba, explosion, oil theft, pipeline, pipeline vandalism