Vice: Season 5, Episode 24 - ProjectFreeTV

5 - 24: Dirty Oil & Rebuilding Our Reefs

Nigeria is Africa's largest oil producer, but the billions of dollars it generates have not trickled down to the majority of the population. This disparity has led to rampant oil theft and large-scale attacks on oil infrastructure by locals, who vow to fight until the government allows them to profit through oil jobs and urban development. For a time, the government listened to this plea and paid militants through an amnesty program that curbed the violence. But in 2016, a new administration terminated those contracts and suspended the payouts, leading to a resurgence of militancy and oil theft. Correspondent Gianna Toboni heads to the heart of Nigeria's oil production to witness firsthand the fight of the Niger Delta youth.