From Boom to Bust in Nigeria

Violent Crime Widens Port Harcourt's Vast Economic Divide

PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria -- Uche was the triggerman for his gang of thieves. When gang members stole oil from pipelines or cellphones from passersby, he made sure no one got in their way.

Early this year, Uche, who gave only his first name, decided to look for legitimate work. After a few difficult months scraping by, he returned to stealing oil, this time with neighborhood friends. At night, they would travel up one of the hundreds of creeks outside the city to the pipelines, siphon off crude oil, and move it by boat to larger vessels and refineries outside Nigeria.

His former gang found out and came looking for him. They broke his fingers, which are still misshapen, and inflicted burns up and down his arms. "I'm trying," Uche said, tugging uncomfortably at his tattered gray T-shirt. "But it's hard to find work."

A chance at a better life has long eluded Uche and the many poor residents of this once-booming oil town. But a recent surge in kidnappings and other violence has brought hard times for the entire city, widening the vast gap between the few with access to oil money and the many without.

Foreign companies have relocated staff to Lagos, the commercial center, or pulled out of the region completely, and local residents have begun moving to less volatile towns or to their native villages. Merchants and small-business owners have lost customers.

"Economies do not thrive on fear," said Styvn Obodoekwe, a civil rights worker and journalist. "Shops that would have stayed open until 8 or 9 o'clock now close by 6, whether they have customers or not. Everyone is rushing home to avoid being attacked or hit by a flying bullet."

Nigeria's economy is among the fastest-growing in the world, but most people live on less than $1 a day. The poverty, combined with an influx of weapons, has led to rampant crime. Armed gangs kidnap foreigners and wealthy Nigerians for ransom, steal oil, and attack restaurants and clubs. Bystanders are often caught in the crossfire.

The gangs say they are fighting on behalf of the poor, but the violence has become about little else other than money and power.

"It's no longer for any struggle, apart from their own selfish motivations," Obodoekwe said. "It's for money. They kidnap children now."

Port Harcourt, the hub of Nigeria's oil-producing Niger River Delta region, was once known for its bustling streets and vibrant night life, fueled by foreign oil workers with ample allowances, and local traders and club owners eager to capitalize on the boon that followed the discovery of oil.

As the delta has become more unstable, the amount of crude oil being pumped has dwindled steadily, falling by nearly a quarter since 2006. This year, for the first time, Angola overtook Nigeria as Africa's biggest oil producer. Many wonder about the future of Nigeria's oil industry and whether Port Harcourt can recover.

"The city is already half-dead," said Per Stafsen, the manager of the Presidential Hotel. "Something has to be done, otherwise the city is completely dead."