Nigeria: May 9, 2001

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Disorder in the delta oil region continues to make oil production a risky proposition. Hardly a week goes by without oil workers being threatened, attacked or taken hostage. The oil companies have traditionally tried to keep the peace by making payoffs in cash and low level jobs. Increasingly, these payoffs are less effective. Meanwhile, the United States is attaching strings to offers of aid. America wants to extradite 26 Nigerians for drug dealing. These people are the big guys, and Nigeria has a problem as some of the drug lords the US wants are big shots in Nigeria (including some members of parliament.)