Abstract

Mahathir K. Nurhaliza, Jaclyn Bernard Victor, Anwar Ramlee and Tunku Rahman Ibrahim

Oil spillage and gas flaring by the oil industry has devastated the Niger Delta for more than half a century. Oil pollution causes both immediate damage and long-term harm to fish, agricultural lands and the health of the living environment. The exploitation of oil and gas in the Niger Delta of Nigeria resulted to impoverishment, conflict, human rights abuses and despair to the majority of the people rather than development. The impact of the crises continuously affects oil and gas operators leaving the area unsafe and endangers the lives of workers and assets. This study tends to capture experiences from the events so as to prevent further deterioration of law, peace and order in the region. To provide a long lasting solution to the deep-rooted crises, the present study identified the root causes of the Niger Delta crisis, the trend of escalation, and the management strategies that were engaged along with their impact and recommended appropriate management approaches to prevent further deterioration of the situation and to restore peace in the areas.