Busy junction in Niger Delta village

Oil refinery

Niger Delta on fire

Polluted Water

Lacking fuel for cooking, many people in the Niger Delta resort to using the heat from pipeline gas flares. A child dried cassava over burning gas.

There are few safe places left for oil companies in the Niger Delta, the epicenter of Nigeria's petroleum industry.

Shell's oil platform off the coast of Nigeria.

Basil Omiyi, Shell’s managing director in Nigeria. Many workers here say they are undeterred by the violence and few are considering leaving.

Executives board a helicopter at an oil facility for the Italian firm, Eni. Oil companies find themselves in an uneasy position, stuck in a crisis that they, in a sense, helped create by turning a blind eye to corruption in the country.

Analysts warn that tensions could derail plans to boost oil production. Already, a quarter of Nigeria’s output has been shut down and some foreign operators have left the country altogether.

Armed gangs have attacked many oil rigs. Shell's platform is 60 miles offshore and is considered safe.

The lack of security has created demand for private security firms to help oil companies make conditions safer for their workers who are adjusting to a new lifestyle.

Niger Delta

Gas is flared at a flow station owned by Italian oil company Agip in the Niger Delta, near the Akala-Olu community. As well as causing health problems and distress for people living nearby, gas flaring in Niger Delta is a also major source of CO2 emissions.

Oil Spill

Oil degradation

Women dry tapioca beside flames from Shell's Utorogu flow station in the Niger Delta March 5, 2006

Niger Delta

Niger Delta

Ogoni People

Ken Saro-Wiwa

for people dat boast of oil in their state i say good luck to u, i pray the fg never think  of exploring anambra, i cant imagine this in my home town.we rather stick to manufacturing

Oil workers walks past the flames of a gas flare

Niger Delta gas flares

Niger Delta

The Pictures are quite shocking.

Environmental Catastrophe

The true Niger Delta

Gas flaring

A woman hurries away from the heat of a gas flare near a flow station belonging to Shell in Warri, Nigeria.

These pictures make me weep

Nigeria, Niger Delta, Ogoniland, group of schoolchildren