Nigeria: May 16, 2003

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The oil companies are coming up with new ideas for dealing the unique conditions encountered in Nigeria. The basic problem is that everyone seems to be running a scam. The workers steal and run extortion schemes. The local civilians break into pipelines to steal oil, or to get hired as part of clean up crews. Local civilians also demonstrate for compensation for the damage done to the land from the oil spills. Bringing in mercenary soldiers and hiring foreign oil workers instead of locals will not make the oil companies more popular, but it will make it possible for them to pump oil efficiently. Their next problem is dealing with the enormously corrupt government officials.