Images of Oil Spill in Niger Delta

For the past 50+ years, oil spills occuring in the Niger delta region of Nigeria have led to pollution, unemployment, health hazard situations and other calamities. This has resulted in a wave of oil company employee kidnappings by local youth demanding a peice of the pie after decades of exploitation that has left many citizens destitute. The western media reports these kidnappings with little understanding of the frustrations and sufferings of the people in these regions.

The images below were taken in 1999 by Michael Fleshman, journalist and researcher who decided to pay a visit to the region and witnessed first hand the the lack of regard for the environment that oil companies have practiced in the region in the name of profit. I have to warn that for the environmentally sensitive these images are disturbing. Also when you consider how it affects people, it makes the situation even grimmer. Sometimes images do speak louder than words.
http://allafrica.com/photoessay/nigeria_oil/

Note: Even though these photos were taken almost a decade ago, the issue of environmental pollution in the Niger delta is still predominant today. The Movement of The Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) was created as a means to fight for local control of oil revenue. The group showcases thier demands by occasionally holding hostages and blowing up oil installations. Obviously this is not the best way to solve the situation but as they say "a hungry man is an angry man."