Crime and violence in the Niger Delta are not just byproducts of poverty but are deeply rooted in political manipulation, economic inequality, and systemic exploitation.
For years, the region’s vast oil wealth has contrasted starkly with the harsh realities of its people: high unemployment, systemic underdevelopment, extensive environmental degradation, and a growing entanglement between crime networks and powerful elites.
The report, The Devil’s Workshop, takes a fresh and participatory look at crime and violence in the region, going beyond surface-level assumptions to uncover the deeper forces at play.
The title draws from the old proverb: “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” But here, ‘idleness’ is not just about jobless youth turning to crime. It reflects a larger dynamic—where influential figures, the ‘devils’ of society, exploit vulnerable young people trapped in the ‘devil’s workshop’, and use them as pawns in a game of political control, economic gain, and social unrest.
“It is profitable to the politicians to leave the populace in poverty, because they are easily used then.”
What This Research Reveals
Using extensive interviews, surveys, and community perspectives, this study paints a compelling picture of the Niger Delta’s crime landscape—one marked by theft, kidnapping, piracy, cult gangs, and the illegal oil trade. But these are not just random acts of desperation. Instead, they are interwoven systems, sustained by political figures, security agencies, and even corporate interests.- The Economy of Crime: Unemployment and rising living costs push young people towards illicit activities, not just as a last resort, but as the most viable option.
- Political Corruption: Elections fuel violence, as politicians arm and pay criminal groups for protection, intimidation, and vote rigging—only to abandon them after securing power.
- Social Influence: Cult groups, once university-based intellectual fraternities, have evolved into widespread criminal networks. Their reach extends to high schools, businesses, and even political offices.
- Environmental Impact: Over 70 years of oil spills and gas flaring have not just destroyed livelihoods but have also driven communities into illicit economies like oil theft and sea piracy.
A Reality That Demands Attention
The stories in this report are not just statistics—they are lived experiences. The fisherman whose nets come back covered in oil. The family forced to flee their home due to gang violence. The young man who, disillusioned by broken political promises, turns to the very system that exploited him. This is not just about crime; it’s about survival in a system designed to fail its people. It’s about the cycle where those in power manufacture crises to maintain control while the victims of these crises are criminalized and left with no way out.“You have trained me, you have made me a gunman, and you have left. What remains with me, is for me to use my gun to make money.”
