In recent years, oil and gas production in Nigeria has been severely disrupted by militant violence, sabotage and large-scale industrial theft of oil and condensate – a liquid form of natural gas – in the Niger Delta. Heavily armed and well organised groups have kidnapped staff, invaded oil and gas facilities, shut down operations and vandalised pipelines.
Attacks on facilities such as well heads and pipelines have caused widespread environmental damage from spills, delayed projects and damaged livelihoods in local communities. As a result companies have been forced to suspend some operations and Nigeria’s production has fallen. This takes millions of dollars of potential revenue out of the hands of the government each month.
SPDC believes in using peaceful means to resolve issues with host communities. Security personnel guarding SPDC facilities are mostly unarmed. SPDC provides training on security and human rights to the security staff and police seconded to the company so they can work according to the United Nations Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials.
SPDC actively supports and promotes the Voluntary Principles of Security and Human Rights - opens in new window in Nigeria. And it has a comprehensive training programme on human rights and conflict-resolution for company security officials. The CLEEN Foundation - opens in new window, a non-governmental organisation based in Nigeria, conducts the training, which is endorsed by the Danish Institute for Human Rights.
