Counting the Cost: Unpacking the Nigerian State Kinetic Approach in the Management of Crude Oil Theft and Its Environmental Implications in Niger-Delta Region

While extensive literature exists on the causes and effects of crude oil theft in Nigeria, limited scholarly work has examined the environmental consequences of the state's militarized strategy against this crime in the Niger Delta. This research therefore analyzes the environmental effects of incinerating locations and vehicles connected to illegal oil bunkering and refining. Drawing on environmental security theory and utilizing data from documentary sources and key informant interviews, the study finds that the practice of burning artisanal refinery sites and transportation means for stolen oil has severe environmental repercussions for the region. A key recommendation is for the Nigerian government to immediately cease such methods; instead, confiscated petroleum products should be sold, with the revenue accruing to the state.