Desperation, lack of opportunities behind Nigerian piracy, experts say

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/11/09/21345123-fishing-for-crime-desperation-lack-of-opportunities-behind-nigerian-piracy-experts-say?lite

By Sohel Uddin, Ronke Phillips and Henry Austin, NBC News
Nov. 9, 2013

PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria -- Anger and frustration that Nigeria's huge oil wealth has not improved the lot of most average citizens is fueling the sort of criminality that led to the kidnapping of two American oil workers off the country's coast last month, experts say.

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"The people are angry the waters they use are polluted, so they’re angry with them and often attack them and kidnap the workers."

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Nigeria's problems with piracy and generalized criminality got especially bad after the oil industry destroyed traditional jobs, said Dr. Freedom Onouha of the Nigeria National Defense College.

“For a very long time people survived on the waters, particularly on fishing, so this is what is at the very heart of maritime security,” he said. "The oil companies came in and this had significant consequences on the environment in terms of oil spills and pollution, which killed the natural resources of the Niger Delta -- destroying original livelihoods."

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