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Article

30 May 2010

Author:
John Vidal, Observer [UK]

Nigeria's agony dwarfs the Gulf oil spill. The US and Europe ignore it

More oil is spilled from the delta…every year than has been lost in the Gulf of Mexico…The Niger delta…is the world capital of oil pollution. Life expectancy…has fallen to little more than 40 years over the past two generations. Locals blame the oil that pollutes their land and can scarcely believe…the steps taken by BP and the US government to try to stop the Gulf oil leak…Shell…says that 98% of all its oil spills are caused by vandalism, theft or sabotage by militants and only a minimal amount by deteriorating infrastructure…Communities and environmental watchdog groups…blame the companies' vast network of rusting pipes and storage tanks, corroding pipelines, semi-derelict pumping stations and old wellheads, as well as tankers and vessels [also refers to ExxonMobil]