Thousands of people in Nigeria engage in a practice known locally as ‘oil bunkering’ – hacking into pipelines to steal crude then refining it or selling it abroad. The practice, which leaves oil spewing from pipelines for miles around, managed to lift around a fifth of Nigeria’s two million barrel a day production last year according to the finance ministry. It sure looks great for the environment.
An oil pipeline belonging to oil company Agip spews oil after a leak in the Kalaba community in Bayelsa. Akintunde Akinleye/REUTERS
A man is reflected in oil waste at an illegal oil refinery near river Nun in Nigeria's oil state of Bayelsa. Akintunde Akinleye/REUTERS
Ebiowei pours water to reduce the intensity of the fire in a locally made burner at an illegal oil refinery site. Akintunde Akinleye/REUTERS
Ebiowei drags a hose used to help siphon crude oil at an illegal oil refinery site near river Nun in Nigeria's oil state of Bayelsa. Akintunde Akinleye/REUTERS
A worker walks in front of a locally made burner at an illegal oil refinery site near river Nun. Akintunde Akinleye/REUTERS
Steam is emitted from pipes as a man describes a process of refining crude oil at an illegal refinery in a creek. Akintunde Akinleye/REUTERS
A locally made boat containing crude oil is manned through a creek near river Nun in Nigeria's oil state of Bayelsa. Akintunde Akinleye/REUTERS
A closed fuel station is seen in the Ahoada community near Nigeria's oil hub city of Port Harcourt. Akintunde Akinleye/REUTERS
Smoke rises as an illegal oil refinery is burnt after a military chase in a creek near river Nun in Nigeria's oil state of Bayelsa. Akintunde Akinleye/REUTERS
A man and his son walk through polluted farmland in the Kalaba community in Nigeria's oil state of Bayelsa. Akintunde Akinleye/REUTERS
Canoes lie in oil-slicked mud on the shore of the Bodo creek in Ogoniland near Nigeria's oil hub city of Port Harcourt. Akintunde Akinleye/REUTERS
Ebiowei, 48, carries an empty oil container on his head to a place where it would be filled with refined fuel at an illegal refinery site. Akintunde Akinleye/REUTERS
An oil slick is seen as a speedboat churns up the water of Bodo creek next to polluted mangroves. Akintunde Akinleye/REUTERS
An oil slick flows near abandoned drums at an illegal oil refinery site after the military chased oil theives near river Nun. Akintunde Akinleye/REUTERS
A man named Godswill collects crude oil from a mini storage unitl filled with oil, which is waiting to be refined at an illegal refinery site. Akintunde Akinleye/REUTERS
Smoke rises from a locally made burner in an illegal oil refinery site near river Nun in Nigeria's oil state of Bayelsa. Akintunde Akinleye/REUTERS
Ebiowei carries refined oil in buckets at an illegal oil refinery site near river Nun in Nigeria's oil state of Bayelsa. Akintunde Akinleye/REUTERS
A man works at an illegal oil refinery site near river Nun in Nigeria's oil state of Bayelsa. Akintunde Akinleye/REUTERS
A man working at illegal oil refinery site pours oil under a locally made burner to keep the fire going, near river Nun in Nigeria's oil state of Bayelsa. Akintunde Akinleye/REUTERS
A worker pours crude oil into a locally made burner using a funnel at an illegal oil refinery site. Akintunde Akinleye/REUTERS
A man works at an illegal oil refinery site near river Nun in Nigeria's oil state of Bayelsa. Akintunde Akinleye/REUTERS
A passenger speedboat churns up the water, while in the background an illegal oil refinery is left burning. Akintunde Akinleye/REUTERS
Akpomene is pictured coated in oil stains as she sits in a canoe near river Nun. Akintunde Akinleye/REUTERS
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