Pirates in Nigeria

For those who missed it, there was an excellent documentary on Sky One on UK television last week regarding piracy and oil bunkering in the Niger Delta. Ross Kemp (yes – he formerly of Eastenders!) travelled to Nigeria in search of pirates operating off the waterways of Lagos, and of course in the nebulous creeks of the Niger Delta. This was part of his “In Search of Pirates” TV show.

This programme had some distressing scenes. Kemp went into Ajegunle…some awful scenes of poverty there. The conditions that human beings live in Ajegunle is awful. Kemp highlights the awful pollution caused by oil spills in the Niger Delta, the commercial oil bunkering taking place there, interviews a ship owner who confesses that his crew are attacked by pirates several times a week, and manages to get an interview with Rivers State Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. Note the scene in Amaechi’s breakfast room (clip 4) and contrast it with the slums of Ajegunle. Amaechi’s “breakfast room” looked more like the banquet hall of a Five Star hotel!

Part 1:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGsNSwcS6lc

Part 2:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQcwVvtMkvg&feature=related

Part 3:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzrv-RYELxs

Part 4:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z79-L4uUqOY

Part 5:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10voRH-l8vY