{"id":310,"date":"2022-05-21T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-05-21T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/?p=310"},"modified":"2022-12-10T12:44:38","modified_gmt":"2022-12-10T11:44:38","slug":"all-die-na-die-at-the-heart-of-nigerias-soot-problem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/all-die-na-die-at-the-heart-of-nigerias-soot-problem\/","title":{"rendered":"All Die Na Die: At The Heart Of Nigeria\u2019s Soot Problem"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"310\" class=\"elementor elementor-310\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5156561b elementor-section-height-min-height elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-items-middle\" data-id=\"5156561b\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4aabdba7\" data-id=\"4aabdba7\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5d75e497 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"5d75e497\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.9.2 - 21-12-2022 *\/\n.elementor-heading-title{padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title[class*=elementor-size-]>a{color:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-small{font-size:15px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-medium{font-size:19px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-large{font-size:29px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xl{font-size:39px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xxl{font-size:59px}<\/style><h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-xl\">All Die Na Die: At The Heart Of Nigeria\u2019s Soot Problem<\/h1>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6817c2c elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-post-info\" data-id=\"6817c2c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"post-info.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<link rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/plugins\/elementor\/assets\/css\/widget-icon-list.min.css\"><link rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/plugins\/elementor-pro\/assets\/css\/widget-theme-elements.min.css\">\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-inline-items elementor-icon-list-items elementor-post-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-0032e71 elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/author\/akinyemi\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"elementor-avatar\" src=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/cropped-Akinyemi-96x96.jpg\" alt=\"Muhammed Akinyemi\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMuhammed Akinyemi\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-ac9f6b8 elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"datePublished\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-calendar\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMay 21, 2022\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-fd6384a elementor-inline-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"far fa-clock\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-time\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t11:00 am\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-93e0698 elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"commentCount\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/all-die-na-die-at-the-heart-of-nigerias-soot-problem\/#comments\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"far fa-comment-dots\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-comments\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2 Comments\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0a168e4 elementor-share-buttons--view-icon elementor-share-buttons--skin-minimal elementor-share-buttons--shape-rounded elementor-share-buttons--align-center elementor-grid-0 elementor-share-buttons--color-official elementor-widget elementor-widget-share-buttons\" data-id=\"0a168e4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"share-buttons.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<link rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/plugins\/elementor-pro\/assets\/css\/widget-share-buttons.min.css\">\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"elementor-share-btn elementor-share-btn_twitter\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\trole=\"button\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\ttabindex=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\taria-label=\"Share on twitter\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-share-btn__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"fab fa-twitter\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"elementor-share-btn elementor-share-btn_whatsapp\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\trole=\"button\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\ttabindex=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\taria-label=\"Share on whatsapp\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-share-btn__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"fab fa-whatsapp\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"elementor-share-btn elementor-share-btn_facebook\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\trole=\"button\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\ttabindex=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\taria-label=\"Share on facebook\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-share-btn__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"fab fa-facebook\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"elementor-share-btn elementor-share-btn_linkedin\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\trole=\"button\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\ttabindex=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\taria-label=\"Share on linkedin\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-share-btn__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"fab fa-linkedin\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-47390341 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"47390341\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5c7f6f29\" data-id=\"5c7f6f29\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-25b15f2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"25b15f2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.9.2 - 21-12-2022 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#818a91;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#818a91;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p><em>Illegal oil refining is causing irreversible damage to the environment, the people, and the air in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, South-south Nigeria. While the government said it has dismantled illegal refining sites, a visit to different refining sites confirms otherwise.<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-36d883e9 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"36d883e9\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-262488bf\" data-id=\"262488bf\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-51ab85c0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"51ab85c0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Dark Skies<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6408708 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6408708\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-d519e50\" data-id=\"d519e50\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c820e9e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c820e9e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The sun is not out today. The sun has not been out for days on Eagle Island. Surrounded by black water and dark skies, Eagle Island in the south of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, sometimes looks like the middle-class estate that it was designed to be; other times, it looks like the dreadful beginning of a film noir.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The day is April 1, 2022, and the purpose of visiting the edge of this community that is below sea level at a negative 0.4 metre is to test the air that has become so dark, that it prevents the sun from shining.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4fc94ac7 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4fc94ac7\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-395aae9b\" data-id=\"395aae9b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-75d80580 elementor-aspect-ratio-169 elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"75d80580\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;hosted&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;play_on_mobile&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;mute&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;loop&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;aspect_ratio&quot;:&quot;169&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.9.2 - 21-12-2022 *\/\n.elementor-widget-video .elementor-widget-container{overflow:hidden;transform:translateZ(0)}.elementor-widget-video .elementor-open-inline .elementor-custom-embed-image-overlay{position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;background-size:cover;background-position:50%}.elementor-widget-video .elementor-custom-embed-image-overlay{cursor:pointer;text-align:center}.elementor-widget-video .elementor-custom-embed-image-overlay:hover .elementor-custom-embed-play i{opacity:1}.elementor-widget-video .elementor-custom-embed-image-overlay img{display:block;width:100%}.elementor-widget-video .e-hosted-video .elementor-video{-o-object-fit:cover;object-fit:cover}.e-con-inner>.elementor-widget-video,.e-con>.elementor-widget-video{width:var(--container-widget-width);--flex-grow:var(--container-widget-flex-grow)}<\/style>\t\t<div class=\"e-hosted-video elementor-wrapper elementor-fit-aspect-ratio elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<video class=\"elementor-video\" src=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Air-Testing-hm.mp4\" autoplay=\"\" loop=\"\" muted=\"muted\" playsinline=\"\" controlsList=\"nodownload\"><\/video>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0f5c726 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"0f5c726\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Timelapse video of air quality testing being carried out on Eagle Island. In the background is NPA, Port Harcourt. April 1, 2022. Photo by Muhammed Akinyemi.<\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3a5faaee elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3a5faaee\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-58b41c6b\" data-id=\"58b41c6b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-62ce0a4f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"62ce0a4f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThere na NPA,\u201d our fixer \u2014 who will be called Senior Man to protect his identity \u2014 says, upon being asked what the large reservoir tanks and dead ships overlooking Eagle Island were. The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) as named is responsible for operating and managing ports in Nigeria.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the foreground of the wide expanse of land separating Eagle Island from NPA, there is a football pitch. But the young people who play football occasionally on the pitch are at risk of severe respiratory ailments.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Apart from broken-down canoes abandoned on muddied quicksand, decaying used products, previously see-through plastic bottles now darkened by either fire for burning refuse or soot, plants dying one leaf at a time, and a dog barking in the distance to solidify the noir ambience, this place is almost quiet.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The air quality testing continues, until the air quality testing professional, who wants to be on record as Mr Ese, breaks the silence. \u201cI have been trying to work on this for some time but there is obstruction of our work,\u201d he says, lamenting government interference in the work of environmental researchers. He will mention the next day at a restaurant in a different part of town that \u201cyou can\u2019t just come out and say you want to take samples \u2026 government agents can seize your equipment and the equipment is expensive.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-431b3b28 elementor-section-content-middle elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"431b3b28\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6d9a1e10\" data-id=\"6d9a1e10\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-257d81c6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"257d81c6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.9.2 - 21-12-2022 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_7660-768x1024.jpg\" class=\"elementor-animation-grow attachment-large size-large wp-image-33\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_7660-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_7660-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_7660-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_7660-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_7660-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-7a545a99\" data-id=\"7a545a99\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-201daeaf elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"201daeaf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_7569-768x1024.jpg\" class=\"elementor-animation-grow attachment-large size-large wp-image-34\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_7569-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_7569-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_7569-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_7569-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_7569-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5a9ee446 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5a9ee446\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What Mr Ese is searching for in the air with HumAngle is what has been responsible for the dark clouds surrounding Eagle Island, and several parts of Rivers State in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/humanglemedia.com\/south-south\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South-south<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Nigeria. It is also allegedly responsible for rising respiratory ailments. <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3ad75939\" data-id=\"3ad75939\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-12902024 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"12902024\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_7511-768x1024.jpg\" class=\"elementor-animation-grow attachment-large size-large wp-image-35\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_7511-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_7511-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_7511-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_7511-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_7511-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7946461 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7946461\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-53d1415\" data-id=\"53d1415\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f5b9f0f elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"f5b9f0f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Testing kit used for checking the air quality across Rivers state occasioned by the soot menace in the state. Mr Ese claims the kit costs between two and five million naira. April 1 - 2, 2022. Photo by Muhammed Akinyemi.<\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-02a742d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"02a742d\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-fed2b2f\" data-id=\"fed2b2f\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-71f1d11 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"71f1d11\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But there is a darker reason for the unending harassment of the atmosphere and quality of life across Rivers State. This reason spreads its wings beyond Eagle Island, soars high into the sky and dives into the swamps and creeks of the state.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That darker reason is the illegal oil refinery industry. But first, let us understand the soot.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-06ab4b7 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"06ab4b7\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-38bee87\" data-id=\"38bee87\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-993dbf4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"993dbf4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Soot<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-35e2abb6 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"35e2abb6\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-77c20c6d\" data-id=\"77c20c6d\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7b234afe elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"7b234afe\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1440\" src=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_8391-scaled.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-36\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_8391-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_8391-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_8391-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_8391-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_8391-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_8391-2048x1152.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7c3c5b0f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7c3c5b0f\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-49828aae\" data-id=\"49828aae\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e662d2f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e662d2f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cBlack soot is caused by anthropogenic (human) activities like burning of biofuel, illegal mining of petroleum products,\u201d Mr Ese tells HumAngle.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Soot is a visible powdery substance that falls from the atmosphere as a result of the incomplete burning of substances. The heavy smoke enters the environment and becomes apparent on people, structures, the ground, and every other physical object it comes in contact with. It can travel far from the places where it is released.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To put it simply, soot is visible air pollutants created when certain organic matter is burned in the wrong manner.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dr Royce Itefue, a resident doctor at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), explains that \u201csoot deposits chronic exposure in the airway causing inflammation, lung dysfunction, and altering the respiratory process.\u201d These then lead to respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchial asthma, chronic bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and lung cancer.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since 2015, Rivers State has <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/guardian.ng\/features\/again-soot-spike-in-rivers-raises-fresh-health-concerns\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">suffered<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> a recurrence of soot covering its air and lungs. While soot may be caused by illegal refining using crude tools, there\u2019s <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/markets\/commodities\/harmful-soot-unchecked-big-oil-battles-epa-over-testing-2022-01-06\/#:~:text=It%20shows%20individual%20U.S.%20refineries,documents%20filed%20by%20oil%20companies.\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">evidence<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that legal and proper refining contributes too. But Mr Ese confirms that the refineries in Port Harcourt and across the state are not functioning. \u201cThey are not refining any product,\u201d he says. \u201c[Most of the] black soot is caused by illegal human activities.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Jan. 2022, following protests from residents, the Rivers State government <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/guardian.ng\/news\/rivers-dismantles-27-illegal-refineries-arrests-eight-suspects\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">started<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> dismantling illegal refinery structures across the state. One of the places where illegal refining happens is <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/thenationonlineng.net\/army-uncovers-biggest-illegal-bunkering-site-in-port-harcourt\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">NPA<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, just by Eagle Island, in the Port Harcourt Local Government Area (PHALGA).\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When we meet the bubbly Samuel Nwanosike, chairman of Ikwerre LGA \u2014 one of the most notorious areas hosting illegal refineries \u2014 in his GRA home at PHALGA on April 5, he says boldly that \u201cwe have zero illegal oil refinery sites.\u201d He also praises the state governor, Nyesom Wike, for eradicating the illegal sites and bringing an end to the soot problem. Complaining about how the environmental pollution has impacted him, he references his private swimming pool which he is forced to shelter because of the soot. But all is well now, he affirms repeatedly over a 30-minute interview.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7541f5ad elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7541f5ad\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-36e22544\" data-id=\"36e22544\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4602723b elementor-aspect-ratio-169 elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"4602723b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;hosted&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;play_on_mobile&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;mute&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;loop&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;aspect_ratio&quot;:&quot;169&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-hosted-video elementor-wrapper elementor-fit-aspect-ratio elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<video class=\"elementor-video\" src=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Samuels-Compound-hm.mp4\" autoplay=\"\" loop=\"\" muted=\"muted\" playsinline=\"\" controlsList=\"nodownload\"><\/video>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8962580 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"8962580\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Samuel\u2019s house in Port Harcourt is miles away from the local government area where he is Chairman but assures HumAngle that he governs it efficiently. April 5, 2022. Photo by Muhammed Akinyemi.<\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6abc5121 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6abc5121\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4c0802c8\" data-id=\"4c0802c8\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4d03e26f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4d03e26f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yet, Eagle Island and other places around the Rivers State capital are breathing in soot.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mr Ese mentions three days prior that soot is transported via wind and that, while the government may have burnt some illegal refineries, the wind still transports the material from other active refineries, causing the endemic to persist, although on a lesser scale.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">HumAngle then travels to the root of the soot, in a community surrounded by illegal bunkering, wealth and suspicion.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4f53d14f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4f53d14f\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-471ae7c\" data-id=\"471ae7c\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2c5a051d elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2c5a051d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Money No Get Cousin\/Isaka<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7838d8de elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7838d8de\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-63738bab\" data-id=\"63738bab\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6b57f470 elementor-aspect-ratio-219 elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"6b57f470\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;hosted&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;play_on_mobile&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;mute&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;loop&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;aspect_ratio&quot;:&quot;219&quot;,&quot;controls&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-hosted-video elementor-wrapper elementor-fit-aspect-ratio elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<video class=\"elementor-video\" src=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Jetty-video-hm.mp4\" autoplay=\"\" loop=\"\" controls=\"\" muted=\"muted\" playsinline=\"\" controlsList=\"nodownload\"><\/video>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-42fc347c elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"42fc347c\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-52021b4\" data-id=\"52021b4\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2fb15f0d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2fb15f0d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Senior Man knows that illegal refining happens daily but he does not have the clearance to access any of the sites without getting shot either by government agents or by the illegal refiners, he says. So we travel 9 km away from Eagle Island to a different part of the city to meet another fixer.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are many ways to identify privilege in Port Harcourt. Having a clear, blue sky is one of them. And the place where our new fixer lives exemplifies this.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This new fixer used to be a <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">bunkerer<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (an informal term used to describe people involved in the theft and processing of crude oil); he owned a boat and worked as a distributor. Since he stopped the trade months ago because \u201cit was harmful,\u201d he has since focused on academics, studying to obtain a mass communication degree.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He introduces himself as Junior, although it is clear that is not his real name. Over two days of travelling across Rivers State with Junior, he will tell us in bits that revealing anything that can lead back to him will put him at risk of arrest, harassment, or even death from either state or non-state actors.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Junior is about five feet and nine inches tall, with every visible skin calloused. Dr Itefue says that chronic exposure to soot can cause skin irritation which could be severe. \u201cIt can cause DNA mutation in the skin leading to the development of skin cancers like squamous cell carcinoma. It is also associated with pigmented spots on the skin, increased skin wrinkles, and extrinsic skin ageing.\u201d Junior\u2019s skin \u2018condition\u2019 may be because of the soot or direct exposure to crude oil. Whichever it is, it does not bother him.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first outing with Junior is to take our air testing equipment close to the illegal refining sites.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We drive a 4.5 km distance through the dour roads of Port Harcourt, littered with waste and campaign banners, to Bonny-Bille-Nembe Waterfront. The jetty leads to several other communities including Isaka, where legal and illegal activities happen without interference from the outside world; at least not often.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The jetty itself is an ignored environmental disaster, one that is visibly killing every life around it. The water smells like petrol and faeces, and the edge of the jetty is littered with boats and waste. People pay as much attention to the water\u2019s health as they pay to the dark skies above them. <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-23b5b428 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"23b5b428\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1b296434\" data-id=\"1b296434\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2155174f elementor-pagination-type-progressbar elementor-skin-carousel elementor-arrows-yes elementor-pagination-position-outside elementor-widget elementor-widget-media-carousel\" data-id=\"2155174f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;effect&quot;:&quot;fade&quot;,&quot;pagination&quot;:&quot;progressbar&quot;,&quot;speed&quot;:300,&quot;autoplay_speed&quot;:3000,&quot;skin&quot;:&quot;carousel&quot;,&quot;show_arrows&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;loop&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;pause_on_interaction&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;space_between&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:10,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;space_between_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:10,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;space_between_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:10,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"media-carousel.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<link rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/plugins\/elementor-pro\/assets\/css\/widget-carousel.min.css\">\t\t<div class=\"elementor-swiper\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-main-swiper swiper-container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-carousel-image\" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_7839-scaled.jpg)\">\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-carousel-image\" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_7826-scaled.jpg)\">\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-carousel-image\" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/IMG_7866-scaled.jpg)\">\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-carousel-image\" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/IMG_7844-scaled.jpg)\">\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-pagination\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-swiper-button elementor-swiper-button-prev\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"eicon-chevron-left\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-screen-only\">Previous<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-swiper-button elementor-swiper-button-next\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"eicon-chevron-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-screen-only\">Next<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-15fcc3d elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"15fcc3d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Despite non-stop commercial activities on the jetty, a second is not spared for the health of the water nor is there an overt attempt for its maintenance. Days after HumAngle visited the jetty, a fire incident occurs here, killing a pregnant woman and others. April 2, 2022. Photo by Muhammed Akinyemi.<\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6da41a27 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6da41a27\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-51a96e20\" data-id=\"51a96e20\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1505b307 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1505b307\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As long as there is enough money, everyone is okay. Our boat driver, whom Junior likes to teasingly call Pilot, puts this into a maxim; \u201cmoney no get cousin,\u201d meaning that you can\u2019t buy things based on your familiarity with the vendor. \u201cYou don go buy something before wey dem tell you say make you take am for free because say na your cousin?\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is, therefore, important to them, more than protecting the environment, that they make money.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The destruction at the edge of the jetty pales in comparison to what we see as we drive into Isaka, 3.7 km from the jetty. The water has several visible layers, each with different levels of dirt. Floating on the top is oily film rainbowing and distracting from the deep dark depths of the water. When we get to Isaka, Junior and Pilot both greet some men working at a mini jetty (like a boat bus stop) and we proceed further into the creeks. <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-61a2c602 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"61a2c602\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3b87ee0c\" data-id=\"3b87ee0c\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-38f52b5c elementor-aspect-ratio-169 elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"38f52b5c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;hosted&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;play_on_mobile&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;mute&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;loop&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;aspect_ratio&quot;:&quot;169&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-hosted-video elementor-wrapper elementor-fit-aspect-ratio elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<video class=\"elementor-video\" src=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Water-timelapse-hm.mp4\" autoplay=\"\" loop=\"\" muted=\"muted\" playsinline=\"\" controlsList=\"nodownload\"><\/video>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3a3ca17 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3a3ca17\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">We journey through several communities to take air quality tests amid fears that trespassing into the wrong territory could result in a fatal attack. April 2, 2022. Photo by Muhammed Akinyemi.<\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-1112e819 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"1112e819\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5c0aaa76\" data-id=\"5c0aaa76\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9ce7fa1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9ce7fa1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From there onwards, there is no other sign of life on the water except our speedboat. Pilot expresses concerns that he can\u2019t go too far for fear of trespassing into other people\u2019s territories. I ask Junior what that means since we can&#8217;t see other people around. He smiles and points to some pipes peeking out of the water; \u201cna people get am.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I would learn later that the mostly vandalised oil pipes were \u2018bunkered\u2019 by illegal refiners to disrupt oil flow and redirect them back to their camps where they then refine it, package it, and bring it back to town to sell. <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-736e57a7 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"736e57a7\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5d838a2f\" data-id=\"5d838a2f\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4e4409c8 elementor-pagination-type-progressbar elementor-skin-carousel elementor-arrows-yes elementor-pagination-position-outside elementor-widget elementor-widget-media-carousel\" data-id=\"4e4409c8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;effect&quot;:&quot;fade&quot;,&quot;pagination&quot;:&quot;progressbar&quot;,&quot;speed&quot;:300,&quot;autoplay_speed&quot;:3000,&quot;skin&quot;:&quot;carousel&quot;,&quot;show_arrows&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;loop&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;pause_on_interaction&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;space_between&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:10,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;space_between_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:10,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;space_between_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:10,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"media-carousel.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-swiper\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-main-swiper swiper-container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-carousel-image\" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_7953-scaled.jpg)\">\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-carousel-image\" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_7965-scaled.jpg)\">\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-carousel-image\" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_7983-scaled.jpg)\">\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-pagination\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-swiper-button elementor-swiper-button-prev\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"eicon-chevron-left\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-screen-only\">Previous<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-swiper-button elementor-swiper-button-next\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"eicon-chevron-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-screen-only\">Next<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-38abf48 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"38abf48\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The pipes are connected to bigger pipelines carrying oil. Each pipe cluster belongs to a bunkering group and it is the pipes that service the illegal refinery sites across the different communities where kpo is being refined. April 2, 2022. Photo by Muhammed Akinyemi.<\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-f03e4d8 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"f03e4d8\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a9bcaeb\" data-id=\"a9bcaeb\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bf48c1c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"bf48c1c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The air quality professionals begin to take samples. When the results come in days later, it confirms what we already suspect.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As we turn to make it back to land, we see what looks like a cattle egret, blackened from legs up to its neck, looking for food. But there is nothing in this water for it, except maybe dirt and death. When we return to the jetty, we see that the water level has reduced drastically in comparison to an hour before, making it possible to see deeper into it. <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-c414ff2 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"c414ff2\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4e418e44\" data-id=\"4e418e44\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-678ce45d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"678ce45d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>What is at the bottom of the water is more obvious, and even more disgusting. Disasters, like money, do not know about cousinship. They come for everybody. But who cares?<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-40021854 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"40021854\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-41e55719\" data-id=\"41e55719\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-318f75f7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"318f75f7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Kpo!<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-30d1ee5c elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"30d1ee5c\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-62a026bf\" data-id=\"62a026bf\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-159333d1 elementor-aspect-ratio-219 elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"159333d1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;hosted&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;play_on_mobile&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;mute&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;loop&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;aspect_ratio&quot;:&quot;219&quot;,&quot;controls&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-hosted-video elementor-wrapper elementor-fit-aspect-ratio elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<video class=\"elementor-video\" src=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/KPO-video-hm.mp4\" autoplay=\"\" loop=\"\" controls=\"\" muted=\"muted\" playsinline=\"\" controlsList=\"nodownload\"><\/video>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-43ec4dc2 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"43ec4dc2\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-7ebdde2b\" data-id=\"7ebdde2b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-58bcf443 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"58bcf443\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kpo is the local name for petroleum products refined illegally in Rivers State and across the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The equipment used for refining is called an oven. And the fire under the oven is called Kpo fire. Kpo fire is what creates the soot.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-46c3150 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"46c3150\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-821f881\" data-id=\"821f881\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b3de22e elementor-aspect-ratio-169 elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"b3de22e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;hosted&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;play_on_mobile&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;mute&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;loop&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;aspect_ratio&quot;:&quot;169&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-hosted-video elementor-wrapper elementor-fit-aspect-ratio elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<video class=\"elementor-video\" src=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Illustration-of-soot-process-2.mp4\" autoplay=\"\" loop=\"\" muted=\"muted\" playsinline=\"\" controlsList=\"nodownload\"><\/video>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-703a961 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"703a961\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The oil is transported from bunkered pipes to the refinery sites where it is put into \u2018ovens\u2019. After the oil is cooked in the ovens, the refined product is transported back into kegs which are put in waiting boats and canoes. Illustration by Akila Jibrin.<\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6430c4ae elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6430c4ae\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3cb70c70\" data-id=\"3cb70c70\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-50da27d1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"50da27d1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The economic impact of Kpo in Rivers State alone may be difficult to know. When we ask Junior, he says it is a \u201cmulti-million naira investment\u201d but is unable to give specific numbers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a recent <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2022-02-03\/nigeria-targets-4-billion-oil-theft-in-output-recovery-plan?utm_content=africa&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&amp;cmpid%3D=socialflow-twitter-africa&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;sref=xTkgnLSf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bloomberg interview<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Gbenga Komolafe, CEO of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), said Nigeria was losing \u201c150,000 barrels of oil a day to criminals who illegally tap pipelines.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When estimating the overall financial implication, Komolafe said the missing barrels were costing Nigeria some $4 billion annually.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kpo fire is not only burning Rivers\u2019 air, it is burning Nigeria\u2019s economy. A recent fuel scarcity <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NMDPRAtweets\/status\/1491102450581123072?t=P_Hebqx0bBfSTPCoNqmzFg&amp;s=19\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">caused<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by imported contaminated fuel made life gruelling for Nigerians, but Kpo activities added to the petroleum scarcity that rippled into other aspects of the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/features\/2022\/2\/24\/small-businesses-hurting-from-recurring-fuel-scarcity-in-nigeria\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">economy<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kpo harms residents in another way too. Despite years of refining, the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">bunkerers <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">still make sub-par oil with life-threatening or terminal consequences. A 32-year-old cab driver who introduces himself as Ibitare Etiokheme and lives in downtown Choba, at the outskirt of Port Harcourt, tells HumAngle that \u201cthe kerosene from that process is not good for cooking because it usually explodes once you light your stove.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although Etiokheme understands that Kpo fire is responsible for soot, and Kpo has exploded in his kitchen before, he advocates for the continued existence of the Kpo industry. His reason is simple: \u201cIt is still better than allowing the guys [<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">bunkerers<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">] doing it to go into crime such as robbery. The Kpo Fire business has reduced crime rates in the state because [the] majority of those who used to block roads, do robbery, and kidnap are now into it.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI would also say it has reduced militancy in the state,\u201d he adds, before appealing that \u201cthe government should help the masses by doing the right thing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-35d1685 elementor-widget elementor-widget-gallery\" data-id=\"35d1685\" data-element_type=\"widget\" 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e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6NDk3LCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczpcL1wvaW50ZXJhY3RpdmUuaHVtYW5nbGVtZWRpYS5jb21cL2hnbFwvd3AtY29udGVudFwvdXBsb2Fkc1wvMjAyMlwvMDVcL0lNR184MTQzLXNjYWxlZC5qcGciLCJzbGlkZXNob3ciOiJhbGwtMzVkMTY4NSJ9\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/IMG_8143-300x169.jpg\" data-width=\"300\" data-height=\"169\" alt=\"\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3288d8f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3288d8f\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-31db2509\" data-id=\"31db2509\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1a698398 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1a698398\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What the right thing is, varies from person to person. But there seems to be a consensus among several residents that HumAngle spoke to that the Kpo industry has to be sustained; they want the government to create modular refineries and work with the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">bunkerers. <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Modular refineries are smaller, less capital-intensive versions of oil refineries.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mr Ese, advocating for this too, argues that \u201cwhen you introduce modular refineries, we will see another mode of refining petroleum that is not harmful to society.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A resident in his 50s who spoke anonymously to HumAngle at his house on Eagle Island drags the line of thinking even further.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-f122a67 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"f122a67\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-e487437\" data-id=\"e487437\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f7a5b5b elementor-aspect-ratio-169 elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"f7a5b5b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;hosted&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;mute&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;loop&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;controls&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;aspect_ratio&quot;:&quot;169&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-hosted-video elementor-wrapper elementor-fit-aspect-ratio elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<video class=\"elementor-video\" src=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Illustration-of-modular-refinery.mp4\" autoplay=\"\" loop=\"\" controls=\"\" muted=\"muted\" controlsList=\"nodownload\"><\/video>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7bc1f87 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"7bc1f87\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The modular refinery is an environment-friendly, smaller version of a normal refinery. Many people are advocating for its adoption and for government to convert illegal refiners into government workers to utilise the modular refineries. Illustration by Akila Jibrin.<\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-392c7fd elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"392c7fd\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-412ed427\" data-id=\"412ed427\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-576e0058 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"576e0058\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe governor [of Rivers] has exposed the federal government\u2019s inability to make this thing (petroleum products) available. By stopping the local refiners, that is when you\u2019ll begin to experience a hike in the price of petroleum products in Nigeria,\u201d he says.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although the official reason given for the fuel scarcity across the country is the contaminated oil, the resident\u2019s timeline matches when fuel scarcity became widespread in Nigeria, as well as when the Rivers state government started dismantling bunkering sites.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThis means that the local refiners are the people supplying the country,\u201d he argues. \u201cWhen they were refining, up to Dec. 2021, the things were available and cheap. If they partner with these boys, with their experience \u2026 now some of them use electricity, generators to reduce smoke \u2026 and they train here in Nigeria\u2026\u201d he trails off for a while, before closing his statement: \u201cthey are supposed to partner with these boys. They can produce what will satisfy Nigerians.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lamenting his situation, he claims that diesel was cheap prior to the dismantling of ovens. \u201cYou can afford 25 litres for like \u20a62,500 and use it to run your generator. But when they came and stopped them, we couldn&#8217;t afford it. Twenty-five litres of diesel is now about \u20a66,800 and that is if you see it o. [The price of] kerosene, which is the one people use most, has become high. Twenty-five litres is about \u20a65,000, \u20a66,000.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Perhaps in the future, there may be discussions on modular refineries and using Kpo <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">bunkerers <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to refine oil, but the Ikwerre LGA chairman, sharing the decision of the \u2018State Security Council,\u2019 tells HumAngle that \u201cthe governor has said that we will not tolerate or negotiate with anyone involved in oil theft because those people are worse than Boko Haram,\u201d referring to the terror group ravaging <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/humanglemedia.com\/north-east\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Northeast Nigeria<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for over a decade.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cBoko Haram will take immediate life now, they will not take the environment. But these ones are not only taking our lives, they are taking our environment. They are not only killing this generation; they are killing unborn generations,\u201d Nwanosike says.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another factor could be that Nigeria\u2019s 1999 constitution puts \u201cmines and minerals, including oil fields, oil mining, geological surveys and natural gas\u201d under the exclusive legislative list. This means expansive decisions on them can only be made by the federal government.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nwanosike mentions that the decision to burn the illegal refining sites is preceded by a visit from Nigeria\u2019s Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to several communities in Niger Delta. And, in the course of the visit, \u201che promised that the federal government has made adequate arrangements for the issue of illegal refineries to be a thing of the past.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Affirming the supremacy of the federal government, he adds that \u201cproperty confiscated (from <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">bunkerers<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) by our people have been taken over by security agencies\u201d and have since been handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), a federal government agency.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While the possibility of recruiting the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">bunkerers <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">or totally eliminating them hangs in the air, business is going on in the creeks, though the state government claims there is nothing of such.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-38f87d4a elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"38f87d4a\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3cbe590e\" data-id=\"3cbe590e\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3e08f787 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3e08f787\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Philanthropic Bunkering<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-79c4af9 elementor-section-stretched elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"79c4af9\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;stretch_section&quot;:&quot;section-stretched&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-9f49ad3\" data-id=\"9f49ad3\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e2fb260 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"e2fb260\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Soot-Poisoning.gif\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-206\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0de9a6c elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"0de9a6c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Impact of soot on the health of residents. Illustration by Anita E. Eboigbe.<\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7eaa4985 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7eaa4985\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3318664d\" data-id=\"3318664d\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3a66449d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3a66449d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIt\u2019s an illegal refinery. It\u2019s an illegal business. But the community adopted it based on one or two reasons,\u201d Junior, with a stick of weed burning between the index and middle fingers of his left hand, shares his thoughts as someone who has been a <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">bunkerer<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and understands the industry.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Earlier that morning on April 3, when we met Junior for his interview, he took us to an active site where Kpo cooking happened overnight. The jetty we use on this day is less crowded and less open than the one at Nembe, but it is quite busy regardless, especially for a Sunday morning. There is a car parked by the jetty and Junior confirms later that it is a pick-up car for extraction done overnight.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our \u2018Pilot\u2019 for this trip is familiar with the overnight bunkering business and is suspicious of us, despite being an old friend of Junior.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Junior assures him repeatedly that we are representatives of businessmen interested in buying Kpo and the reason there is a gimbal in our possession is to take pictures for the people we represent, as they will not invest money without evidence.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Begrudgingly, he pushes his boat into the water as Junior advises that recording devices be kept away until we are far into the water and close to \u201clocation\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4267fa17 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4267fa17\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-25ab9ea7\" data-id=\"25ab9ea7\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-341c558e elementor-aspect-ratio-169 elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"341c558e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;hosted&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;play_on_mobile&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;mute&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;loop&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;aspect_ratio&quot;:&quot;169&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-hosted-video elementor-wrapper elementor-fit-aspect-ratio elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<video class=\"elementor-video\" src=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Trip-beginning-hm.mp4\" autoplay=\"\" loop=\"\" muted=\"muted\" playsinline=\"\" controlsList=\"nodownload\"><\/video>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cd3f52e elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"cd3f52e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The journey to Okrika is scarier and has more fear factors than the first journey to Nembe. Aside from the extant possibility of being shot by state (Naval officers on patrol) or non-state actors, the suspicion from the \u2018Pilot\u2019 also indicates he would not hesitate to leave us exposed if he was confronted by the need to do so. April 3, 2022. Video by Muhammed Akinyemi.<\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-122d0c82 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"122d0c82\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6c0ea798\" data-id=\"6c0ea798\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-48459a69 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"48459a69\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are lots of pipes peeking out of the water but that is because there is a government-owned oil terminal nearby. There is also an NPA dockyard not very far from this isolated jetty.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Junior explains that the site we are going to is in Okrika, but does not mention specifically what community. Okrika is an island with a lot of cluster communities and we pass through several mini jetties and mini-communities on our way to the Kpo camp.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When we get to a residential community, we see \u2018Slow Down\u2019 signposts planted into black mud. Our Pilot slows down and Junior reiterates that we need to keep away any recording device as it may put us at risk. The gimbal and camera immediately go under the bench we are sitting on. <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-39b70f90 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"39b70f90\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5e7dd3db\" data-id=\"5e7dd3db\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5b7f3eaa elementor-aspect-ratio-169 elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"5b7f3eaa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;hosted&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;play_on_mobile&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;mute&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;loop&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;aspect_ratio&quot;:&quot;169&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-hosted-video elementor-wrapper elementor-fit-aspect-ratio elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<video class=\"elementor-video\" src=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Water-video-hm.mp4\" autoplay=\"\" loop=\"\" muted=\"muted\" playsinline=\"\" controlsList=\"nodownload\"><\/video>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-337b8f0e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"337b8f0e\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-534460df\" data-id=\"534460df\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1bca4ac8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1bca4ac8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The community is a bee-hive of activities. There are people filling up water with sand to commence construction on a small plot of land. There are people littered in front of different houses; drinking, chatting, and working. There are small boats tied to little jetties and large boats turned upside down on land.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Two buildings stand out: they are both painted green, are storeyed, and are surrounded by smaller unpainted houses. They will both qualify as mansions in this place.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Junior and the Pilot greet people as we slowly pass through the community. One man, towel hanging loosely around his waist, shares his itinerary with Junior; \u201cI dey go church soon,\u201d he declares. When we pass the house some 30 minutes later, another boat will be ferrying a lone passenger and Junior will greet the person, then inform us that the person was his Pastor.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The community is as religious about bunkering as it is about God.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although a federal government territory, this place is under the control of two brothers. They own the \u2018mansions\u2019.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cNa Trust and Eddy get this place,\u201d Junior says after we pass the humans and their houses. Junior spends the next 10 minutes talking about Trust and Eddy in glowing terms. They are renowned <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">bunkerers<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> who are respected as model figures around Okrika. Although they pollute their water and air, Junior mentions that Eddy and Trust build schools, provide scholarships, and give people houses.<\/span><\/p><p>In return, the community worships and protects them, and any activity that will compromise them will result in bloodshed \u201cbecause of the money,\u201d Junior says.<\/p><p>\u201cThis thing is closer to them, it is their God-given resource and it is very easy for them to process it. It gives them money but it kills some people and it is not fair.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7235653b elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7235653b\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6b438b1f\" data-id=\"6b438b1f\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7c73f425 elementor-aspect-ratio-169 elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"7c73f425\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;hosted&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;play_on_mobile&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;mute&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;loop&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;aspect_ratio&quot;:&quot;169&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-hosted-video elementor-wrapper elementor-fit-aspect-ratio elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<video class=\"elementor-video\" src=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Dark-Skies.mp4\" autoplay=\"\" loop=\"\" muted=\"muted\" playsinline=\"\" controlsList=\"nodownload\"><\/video>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4657532 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"4657532\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The soot problem in the city is tied to oil bunkering which causes Nigeria to lose billions and endangers the health of residents. Video by Anita E. Eboigbe. <\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-1186e345 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"1186e345\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-55cdd1ea\" data-id=\"55cdd1ea\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-587849fb elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"587849fb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The Earth Is Soft, Like Wool<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-31f34906 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"31f34906\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3bf8af47\" data-id=\"3bf8af47\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5977a2d3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"5977a2d3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_8149-scaled.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-90\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_8149-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_8149-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_8149-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_8149-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_8149-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_8149-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-1b9e265e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"1b9e265e\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-47759008\" data-id=\"47759008\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3f487622 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3f487622\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The bunkering camps close to this community belong to Eddy and Trust, and non-indigenes are not allowed to own camps here. We continue on the water slowly for about five minutes, then we exit the residential area and return to about 60km\/h speed. The water gets darker than the devil\u2019s soul as we progress, decorated with silver linings caused by spilt oil.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When video recording resumes, Pilot expresses concern to Junior, who immediately reassures him that we are only interested in the business. Although the plan initially is to return at night when the cooking is at its peak, Pilot becomes agitated and insists that unless you work with the government, you have no business being at the camp at night.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-46c397f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"46c397f\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3cbc2ce3\" data-id=\"3cbc2ce3\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6c9d144a elementor-aspect-ratio-169 elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"6c9d144a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;hosted&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;play_on_mobile&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;mute&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;loop&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;aspect_ratio&quot;:&quot;169&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-hosted-video elementor-wrapper elementor-fit-aspect-ratio elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<video class=\"elementor-video\" src=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Video-Footprint-hm.mp4\" autoplay=\"\" loop=\"\" muted=\"muted\" playsinline=\"\" controlsList=\"nodownload\"><\/video>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-aec146c elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"aec146c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">There are several recent footprints across the campsite indicating that it is not only active but a lot of people were there overnight, some with footwear, some barefooted. April 3, 2022. Video by Muhammed Akinyemi.<\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5763c3f2 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5763c3f2\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-441d4219\" data-id=\"441d4219\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-39c372e0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"39c372e0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cMake dem just come for [tomorrow] morning, carry fuel, pay, commot,\u201d he imposes. He adds that if we come at night, we are also at risk of getting mauled if we do as much as raise a camera, even if it\u2019s from a phone.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The camp is an isolated stretch of land with dying vegetation. As Pilot docks the boat with support from Junior, there is a lone man on the campsite overlooking the water. After we make it to land and start to explore the camp, the man disappears into the woods.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Upon informing Junior about the strange man, he says, \u201cDon\u2019t worry about the man you can see, worry about the man you can\u2019t see.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6d55fb5 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6d55fb5\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-30410fce\" data-id=\"30410fce\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3b24d613 elementor-aspect-ratio-169 elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"3b24d613\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;hosted&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;play_on_mobile&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;mute&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;loop&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;aspect_ratio&quot;:&quot;169&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-hosted-video elementor-wrapper elementor-fit-aspect-ratio elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<video class=\"elementor-video\" src=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Video-camp-hm.mp4\" autoplay=\"\" loop=\"\" muted=\"muted\" playsinline=\"\" controlsList=\"nodownload\"><\/video>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-41f19b2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"41f19b2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The campsite is a wide stretch of land scattered into different units. There are parts with unrefined oil, some with crude oil that has been filtered out, and the main part where the oven is located. The camp is also surrounded by multiple berthing areas for easy access to the camp. April 3, 2022. Video by Muhammed Akinyemi.<\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-300a6581 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"300a6581\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-20411065\" data-id=\"20411065\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4a238e20 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4a238e20\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The air at the camp is warm and hostile, tugging at noses in suffocation. But the earth is soft, like wool; a result of crude oil <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aweimagazine.com\/article\/contamination-of-soils-with-crude-oil\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">contamination<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Each step sinks into the earth. Although there are no visible persons aside from us, there is a country of fresh, visible footprints scattered across the camp.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Giving a tour, Junior explains that the oven, a large reservoir the size of a truck, is where the crude oil is passed through pipes that we see littering the camp. The cooking, which happens at night now, is sustained by directly pouring crude oil and other materials \u2014 usually chopped off trees \u2014 into the oven\u2019s furnace to keep it running. There are metallic pipes that travel from the oven to a collection point towards the oven\u2019s left, where the Kpo is collected into kegs and other containers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Murtala Abdullahi, HumAngle\u2019s climate expert, explains that the oil spillage that happens during this process \u201cis a significant environmental, health, and socioeconomic disaster due to the impact on local communities, biodiversity, and the economy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-1ae60e6a elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"1ae60e6a\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-410c1668\" data-id=\"410c1668\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-48228a47 elementor-aspect-ratio-169 elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"48228a47\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;hosted&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;play_on_mobile&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;mute&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;loop&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;aspect_ratio&quot;:&quot;169&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-hosted-video elementor-wrapper elementor-fit-aspect-ratio elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<video class=\"elementor-video\" src=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Oven-Video-hm.mp4\" autoplay=\"\" loop=\"\" muted=\"muted\" playsinline=\"\" controlsList=\"nodownload\"><\/video>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-77c16e0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"77c16e0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The oven is where all the crude oil bunkered across different pipelines is transferred. The process is crude and unprofessional, leading to unburnt particles escaping into the air as soot. April 3, 2022. Video by Muhammed Akinyemi.<\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2c8b4268 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2c8b4268\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5ef40e96\" data-id=\"5ef40e96\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-72c9f2ee elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"72c9f2ee\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When the collection is done, they move the kegs into waiting boats and ship them out of the camps. All of this happens from sundown to the crack of dawn. By the time the first sign of daylight is visible, the cooking and collection are already done. What happens afterwards is that the badly burnt crude oil from the oven rises into the sky, and travels to different places as soot.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cPeople die. People that are not even benefitting from it. And the risk is too much,\u201d Junior says. What is striking, however, is that despite the visible soot, many residents are only concerned about the physical impact, like stained walls, dirty cars, and extra cleaning.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Otherwise, they don\u2019t care much for death.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Murtala Abdullahi mentions further that sometimes oil spills that affect the ecosystem are \u201calso caused by government and security interventions designed to target and destroy these [illegal] refineries.\u201d He is not wrong.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Days after visiting the Kpo camp, Nwanosike, the local government chief, will claim boldly in his house that the government \u201cidentified over 265 illegal refineries and we took our time to tear all of it down. As we speak, none of those sites is standing today.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although he says that \u201cwe used smart technology to bring down and shred all the illegal refineries,\u201d images available online show that all demolitions so far have been done crudely, equally contributing to environmental pollution.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-10534a3f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"10534a3f\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2363855c\" data-id=\"2363855c\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2c499f10 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2c499f10\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Ignorance Is Bliss<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-27d26259 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"27d26259\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-66a18829\" data-id=\"66a18829\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-584ecc70 elementor-aspect-ratio-219 elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"584ecc70\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;hosted&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;play_on_mobile&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;mute&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;loop&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;aspect_ratio&quot;:&quot;219&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-hosted-video elementor-wrapper elementor-fit-aspect-ratio elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<video class=\"elementor-video\" src=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Timelapse-PH-City-hm3.mp4\" autoplay=\"\" loop=\"\" muted=\"muted\" playsinline=\"\" controlsList=\"nodownload\"><\/video>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7f7b9c70 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7f7b9c70\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1e7bf072\" data-id=\"1e7bf072\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6607a9fa elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6607a9fa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When Mr Ese says that \u201ceverybody is still going about their normal lifestyle. We are used to the black soot, it is just like HIV,\u201d we think that it is a reach. But a survey carried out by HumAngle reveals that although there is an awareness that soot is harmful, not a lot of medical care or attention is taken.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6e11f3a9 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6e11f3a9\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-600d52\" data-id=\"600d52\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6d1b2c84 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"6d1b2c84\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"container\">\n<iframe class=\"responsive-iframe\" src=\"https:\/\/datawrapper.dwcdn.net\/ls8yx\/3\/\" style=\"border:none;\" title=\"Iframe Example\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3f1d699 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3f1d699\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">While residents across the city have experienced the soot crisis, all survey respondents from Obia\/Akpo LGA have suffered medical issues but refused to seek medical help. Map by Anita Eboigbe.<\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4f1232d2 elementor-section-content-middle elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4f1232d2\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2d68be31\" data-id=\"2d68be31\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-48b4cf5a elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"48b4cf5a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<div style=\"position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-top: 56.2500%;\r\n padding-bottom: 48px; box-shadow: 0 2px 8px 0 rgba(63,69,81,0.16); margin-top: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.9em; overflow: hidden;\r\n border-radius: 8px; will-change: transform;\">\r\n  <iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; top: 0; left: 0; border: none; padding: 0;margin: 0;\"\r\n    src=\"https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.canva.com&#x2F;design&#x2F;DAFJfARUF-M&#x2F;view?embed\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" allow=\"fullscreen\">\r\n  <\/iframe>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<a href=\"https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.canva.com&#x2F;design&#x2F;DAFJfARUF-M&#x2F;view?utm_content=DAFJfARUF-M&amp;utm_campaign=designshare&amp;utm_medium=embeds&amp;utm_source=link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/a>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-568b22e elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"568b22e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Among the soot-related symptoms listed by the survey respondents, difficulty in breathing was the most prominent as visualised in the above chart. Visualisation by Anita E. Eboigbe. <\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-36258221\" data-id=\"36258221\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3c40f6b8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"3c40f6b8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<div style=\"position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-top: 56.2500%;\r\n padding-bottom: 48px; box-shadow: 0 2px 8px 0 rgba(63,69,81,0.16); margin-top: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.9em; overflow: hidden;\r\n border-radius: 8px; will-change: transform;\">\r\n  <iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; top: 0; left: 0; border: none; padding: 0;margin: 0;\"\r\n    src=\"https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.canva.com&#x2F;design&#x2F;DAFJfChyGiY&#x2F;view?embed\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" allow=\"fullscreen\">\r\n  <\/iframe>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<a href=\"https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.canva.com&#x2F;design&#x2F;DAFJfChyGiY&#x2F;view?utm_content=DAFJfChyGiY&amp;utm_campaign=designshare&amp;utm_medium=embeds&amp;utm_source=link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/a>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ef90dc9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"ef90dc9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The number of respondents who are aware of the soot-related medical issues are almost equal to the number who have not yet sought medical care. Visualisation by Anita E. Eboigbe. <\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7a1ac39b elementor-section-content-middle elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7a1ac39b\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3a7473a3\" data-id=\"3a7473a3\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2569e31 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"2569e31\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<div style=\"position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-top: 100.0000%;\r\n padding-bottom: 48px; box-shadow: 0 2px 8px 0 rgba(63,69,81,0.16); margin-top: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.9em; overflow: hidden;\r\n border-radius: 8px; will-change: transform;\">\r\n  <iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; top: 0; left: 0; border: none; padding: 0;margin: 0;\"\r\n    src=\"https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.canva.com&#x2F;design&#x2F;DAFJq2UWF7g&#x2F;view?embed\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" allow=\"fullscreen\">\r\n  <\/iframe>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<a href=\"https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.canva.com&#x2F;design&#x2F;DAFJq2UWF7g&#x2F;view?utm_content=DAFJq2UWF7g&amp;utm_campaign=designshare&amp;utm_medium=embeds&amp;utm_source=link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/a>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bd3b6dc elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"bd3b6dc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">About 84 per cent of the surveyed residents are aware that they have health issues caused by the soot.<\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2172474a\" data-id=\"2172474a\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7dc712a9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"7dc712a9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<div style=\"position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-top: 100.0000%;\r\n padding-bottom: 48px; box-shadow: 0 2px 8px 0 rgba(63,69,81,0.16); margin-top: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.9em; overflow: hidden;\r\n border-radius: 8px; will-change: transform;\">\r\n  <iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; top: 0; left: 0; border: none; padding: 0;margin: 0;\"\r\n    src=\"https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.canva.com&#x2F;design&#x2F;DAFJrGiRW3I&#x2F;view?embed\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" allow=\"fullscreen\">\r\n  <\/iframe>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<a href=\"https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.canva.com&#x2F;design&#x2F;DAFJrGiRW3I&#x2F;view?utm_content=DAFJrGiRW3I&amp;utm_campaign=designshare&amp;utm_medium=embeds&amp;utm_source=link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/a>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-02b31ca elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"02b31ca\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Despite knowledge of the harmful health effects, 85 per cent of the residents surveyed have refused to seek medical care. Some cite poor financial resources as the reason.<\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6e9f5db0 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6e9f5db0\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-32260f91\" data-id=\"32260f91\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3e480af5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3e480af5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An Eagle Island resident, who gives her name simply as Peace, laments that \u201cwhen you wake up [in the] morning, even [in] your nose, you [will] observe black soot.\u201d As a mother, she says she knows that \u201cit has future implications. It will cause us a lot of sicknesses and diseases \u2026 When we treat our children, in terms of cough, we find out that it continues without stop.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although she believes that soot is responsible for her daughter\u2019s persistent coughing, there is no medical evidence for this as she has never considered running a diagnosis.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While negligence may be a factor, the price of running the tests is an important consideration. \u201cTo evaluate the impact of soot in the airway, some basic tests are important,\u201d Dr Itefue says: \u201cChest radiograph or computed tomography (CT) scan of the chest costing roughly \u20a610,000 to \u20a615,000 and \u20a640,000 to \u20a660,000 respectively depending on the severity.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But that is not all, \u201cpulmonary function or spirometry test costs around \u20a65000 to \u20a610,000, sputum cytology to check for cancer cells in the airway is also necessary,\u201d and \u201cbronchoscopy, however more invasive and expensive, costs around \u20a630,000 to \u20a650,000.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rather than take these expensive tests which are higher than <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tradingeconomics.com\/nigeria\/minimum-wages\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nigeria\u2019s minimum wage<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (\u20a630,000), Peace follows her gut. She knows soot is responsible for her daughter\u2019s ailment because \u201cas a mother,\u201d you can tell what is wrong with your child. When HumAngle asks if she will ever consider relocating, she asks us: \u201cWhere will we move to? The only way out is to move abroad. But do we have money to do that?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Senior Man shares his view on living in his soot-laced apartment too: \u201cAs a young man with dreams, there is always projection to leave. It\u2019s not as a result of soot or not. If you are making your money here, I don\u2019t think you\u2019ll want to leave.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b4fd685 elementor--h-position-center elementor--v-position-middle elementor-arrows-position-inside elementor-pagination-position-inside elementor-widget elementor-widget-slides\" data-id=\"b4fd685\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;navigation&quot;:&quot;both&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;pause_on_hover&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;pause_on_interaction&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;autoplay_speed&quot;:5000,&quot;infinite&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;transition&quot;:&quot;slide&quot;,&quot;transition_speed&quot;:500}\" data-widget_type=\"slides.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor-pro - v3.9.2 - 21-12-2022 *\/\n.elementor-slides 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.elementor-slide-heading:not(:last-child){margin-bottom:30px}.elementor-slides .swiper-slide-inner .elementor-slide-button{border:2px solid #fff;color:#fff;background:transparent;display:inline-block}.elementor-slides .swiper-slide-inner .elementor-slide-button,.elementor-slides .swiper-slide-inner .elementor-slide-button:hover{background:transparent;color:inherit;text-decoration:none}.elementor--v-position-top .swiper-slide-inner{align-items:flex-start}.elementor--v-position-bottom .swiper-slide-inner{align-items:flex-end}.elementor--v-position-middle .swiper-slide-inner{align-items:center}.elementor--h-position-left .swiper-slide-inner{justify-content:flex-start}.elementor--h-position-right .swiper-slide-inner{justify-content:flex-end}.elementor--h-position-center .swiper-slide-inner{justify-content:center}body.rtl .elementor-widget-slides .elementor-swiper-button-next{left:10px;right:auto}body.rtl .elementor-widget-slides .elementor-swiper-button-prev{right:10px;left:auto}.elementor-slides-wrapper div:not(.swiper-slide)>.swiper-slide-inner{display:none}@media (max-width:767px){.elementor-slides .swiper-slide-inner{padding:30px}.elementor-slides .swiper-slide-inner .elementor-slide-heading{font-size:23px;line-height:1;margin-bottom:15px}.elementor-slides .swiper-slide-inner .elementor-slide-description{font-size:13px;line-height:1.4;margin-bottom:15px}}<\/style>\t\t<div class=\"elementor-swiper\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-slides-wrapper elementor-main-swiper swiper-container\" dir=\"ltr\" data-animation=\"fadeInUp\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-wrapper elementor-slides\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-repeater-item-e019801 swiper-slide\"><div class=\"swiper-slide-bg\"><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide-inner\" ><div class=\"swiper-slide-contents\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"elementor-repeater-item-97e4fd9 swiper-slide\"><div class=\"swiper-slide-bg\"><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide-inner\" ><div class=\"swiper-slide-contents\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"elementor-repeater-item-ba30d3d swiper-slide\"><div class=\"swiper-slide-bg\"><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide-inner\" ><div class=\"swiper-slide-contents\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-pagination\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-swiper-button elementor-swiper-button-prev\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"eicon-chevron-left\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-screen-only\">Previous<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-swiper-button elementor-swiper-button-next\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"eicon-chevron-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-screen-only\">Next<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-817b820 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"817b820\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The manager of a hotel on Eagle Island laments its impact on his business, saying that the soot is causing his business \u201cto buy so much chlorine\u201d for the swimming pool treatment.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But when we ask about his personal health and if he has done any diagnosis, he simply doesn\u2019t care to know. He, instead, emphasises his support for the Kpo industry that \u201csince we are marginalised in Niger Delta, we have product and we are buying it high, we also welcome it [illegal refining].\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He circles back to the impact on his business, saying that as long as the illegal refining continues, \u201cevery morning it increases the chlorine that we use \u2026 it\u2019s an additional cost.\u201d But he is okay as long as they wake up and are able to work with Kpo gotten cheaply from the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">bunkerers<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another resident, who insists on not giving his name, vents his anger to HumAngle: \u201cThe soot as you can see, e dey worry people. We accept am say e dey worry people, but we can\u2019t run away because soot dey worry people. Hunger go kill young men.\u201d His statement gets supportive nods from other residents waiting to speak.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lamenting the unemployment situation, he says that a young man will not just fold hands and let death visit them. Instead, \u201ce better make him hustle, die there, than make hunger kill am.\u201d Like the others, he affirms that the oil \u201cna our own right.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If he has considered tests to know how the soot is affecting him, with veins visible on his forehead, he yells: \u201cI never do all those tests. No be money I go carry do all that test? Even some people, when malaria knack dem, na paracetamol dem dey buy.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He returns to lamenting how people will rather die than stop bunkering, \u201cGuys must survive \u2026 na to take the risk see if you go prosper or die.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ignored health complications always come back, usually in fatal doses in the future, but this man hopes that \u201cGod go take care of that tomorrow.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-23b29003 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"23b29003\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4f56780f\" data-id=\"4f56780f\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-19fbe625 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"19fbe625\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"container3\">\n<iframe class=\"responsive-iframe\" src=\"\/\/africageoportal.maps.arcgis.com\/apps\/Embed\/index.html?webmap=52cb3f4db5d6449f80e2c4d9594fcd6b&extent=6.827,4.7145,7.2315,4.9348&home=true&zoom=true&scale=false&disable_scroll=true&theme=light\" style=\"border:none;\" title=\"Iframe Example\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7965023 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"7965023\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Interactive map with air quality data showing result of air quality testing carried out by HumAngle. <\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-1dbb32f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"1dbb32f\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3b799d9b\" data-id=\"3b799d9b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6afcdf28 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6afcdf28\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Either today or tomorrow, Dr Itefue mentions that the process of healing from soot\u2019s impact is quite tedious. \u201cMedical therapy given to patients depends on whether they have symptoms or not. Those with severe symptoms are given emergency care; those with mild symptoms are treated on an outpatient basis. Usually, for outpatients, antioxidant therapy is effective to relieve symptoms.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But that is not all. \u201cFor long term management, we recommend from a nutritional point of view for patients to consume more food containing polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) such as seafoods and cod liver oil. Such foods contain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties which are protective against the harmful systemic effects of soot. Also, the use of nasal filters in both nostrils helps to minimise the entry of soot into the respiratory system,\u201d Dr Itefue concludes.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As soot continues to settle into the nose and lungs of residents, Nwanosike, the Ikwerre LGA chairman says that \u201cthe state government is building [an] ultra-modern cancer and cardiovascular diseases centre at Rumuopukta, Obio\/Akpor Local Government Area, and the construction work is being undertaken by Julius Berger Construction Company Limited and Siemens Electrical. When it comes online after commissioning, it will take care of the issue of the testing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6085b359 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6085b359\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-49f8a14\" data-id=\"49f8a14\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a27a3e6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"a27a3e6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"container4\">\n<iframe class=\"responsive-iframe\" src=\"\/\/africageoportal.maps.arcgis.com\/apps\/Embed\/index.html?webmap=d4f09380c468484c81e0555f2d36c39f&extent=6.6706,4.6704,7.4801,5.111&zoom=false&previewImage=false&scale=true&disable_scroll=true&theme=light\" style=\"border:none;\" title=\"Iframe Example\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-87f4bf6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"87f4bf6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Interactive map showing the distance between bunkering sites and proposed site for healthcare centre.<\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7c79083e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7c79083e\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4b316096\" data-id=\"4b316096\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2b26004d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2b26004d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nwanosike does not know when the said construction will finish, or if other healthcare centres will be built across the state to tend to residents. Proximity may be another challenge in the future if the state does build the said healthcare facility at all.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But for now, the government promises some hope.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4afa6ded elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4afa6ded\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-457f3066\" data-id=\"457f3066\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-24dce34c elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"24dce34c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">\u2018One Thing Must Kill A Man\u2019<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-16bcfa4 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"16bcfa4\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-767cd28\" data-id=\"767cd28\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0f7424d elementor-aspect-ratio-219 elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"0f7424d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;hosted&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;play_on_mobile&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;mute&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;loop&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;aspect_ratio&quot;:&quot;219&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-hosted-video elementor-wrapper elementor-fit-aspect-ratio elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<video class=\"elementor-video\" src=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/One-thing-must-kill-man-hm.mp4\" autoplay=\"\" loop=\"\" muted=\"muted\" playsinline=\"\" controlsList=\"nodownload\"><\/video>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3ef8f2e elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3ef8f2e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">A neighborhood on eagle island<\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-68d519fe elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"68d519fe\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-14a875db\" data-id=\"14a875db\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-219ff251 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"219ff251\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI have eye problems. The soot has caused my eyes to itch,\u201d a young man living on Eagle Island says, as his daughter, not older than five, tugs at his feet playfully. \u201cI know it is the soot because it wasn\u2019t like that before. Most times, [when I go] to the rural area, it is more severe there, the situation worsens.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Halimat Ojone Usman of the Department of Optometry, University of Ilorin, confirms the possibility.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIrritants like smoke, dust, and by extension, soot, usually cause inflammatory responses in the eyes. Some can be mild and tolerable, others severe. Some people may have a burning sensation in the eyes, redness, or feel like the eyes are warm and tender.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dr Itefue corroborates that \u201csoot is an environmental pollutant that can cause ocular problems like conjunctivitis, keratitis, blepharitis, dry eyes, and cataract.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite the personal cost to him, like many others, the young father says he \u201cbelieve(s) we have to pay sacrifices for everything on earth,\u201d when we ask if he thinks <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">bunkerers <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">contribute to the economy. He mentions that the Kpo industry is creating employment opportunities and the soot is a sacrifice.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe government should make available the necessary facilities for these people to be able to produce without this soot coming up and disturbing us. Because as you can see, they are actually doing what the government is not doing in terms of job creation and in terms of making this product available \u2026 yes, it [illegal refining] should be legalised.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He adds later, however, that he \u201cstill believe(s) that sacrifices should not outweigh the benefits.\u201d In this case, it does. So he asks, \u201cWhy are we killing ourselves [to live]?\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Murtala Abdullahi believes also that \u201cprotection against soot requires efforts to address the source of the problem\u201d and that \u201cmodular refineries could help fill the energy vacuum that artisanal\/illegal refineries target.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He recommends that \u201cthe government should change its approach and dismantle the illegal refineries in a way that is safe and doesn\u2019t contribute to the crisis. Oil companies should invest in upgrading and managing infrastructure and face strict oversight and sanctions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remediation efforts need to be top priority for the companies and government to restore degraded lands and water bodies, he concludes.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A middle-aged woman with blonde hair and eyes sunken by age, also resident on Eagle Island shares a radical view. She believes death is ubiquitous, and policing <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kpo fire <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">means gatekeeping a certain type of death.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cOne thing must kill a man. When death wants to come, death will come. Whether Kpo fire [or] no kpo fire. I prefer the Kpo fire even, than for hunger to kill us.\u201d She laments how government neglect contributes to unemployment which invariably pushes young people into illegal activities like bunkering and illegal refining.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cAll na death, all na killing.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While the adults may live with the resolution of embracing the Kpo industry, children still have to bear the brunt of those decisions in the future. Not shifting from her resolution, this middle-aged woman tells HumAngle that \u201cat times too, you know for our children, anything can bring sickness to them. But that is what they meet. They will enjoy it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cAnywhere wey dem reach if dem see am, anybody wey carry, [eventually] e go go, if e go survive am, e go survive am. People wey go survive am, go survive am. People wey go die go die.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As the visible rays of light set on Eagle Island that evening, Junior\u2019s words put some light on the Kpo industry\u2019s future. The question is if he may return to bunkering, and the answer ends in a question.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7f19cfd6 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7f19cfd6\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-28cf114c\" data-id=\"28cf114c\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-15a014d7 elementor-aspect-ratio-169 elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"15a014d7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;hosted&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;play_on_mobile&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;loop&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;aspect_ratio&quot;:&quot;169&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-hosted-video elementor-wrapper elementor-fit-aspect-ratio elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<video class=\"elementor-video\" src=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Junior-hm.mp4\" autoplay=\"\" loop=\"\" playsinline=\"\" controlsList=\"nodownload\"><\/video>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-38ca7d7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"38ca7d7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Junior, relaxing in his house as he speaks to HumAngle; talks about his time as a bunkerer, his challenges, what the future holds for him, and why it is necessary to stop illegal refining activities in Rivers State. He also believes in the engagement of the bunkerers in different capacities, to avoid unleashing another hardship induced crime across the state, especially as elections were coming and politicians may weaponise the unemployment for personal gains. April 3, 2022. Video by Muhammed Akinyemi.<\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2692841c elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2692841c\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1414554e\" data-id=\"1414554e\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6efff35e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6efff35e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cE no dey possible if the government do alright. But that is the belief of an individual. If you think of coming back to the street, the street is meant for everybody. Life is not that fair. So if you see a man doing bunkering, it is because life is not fair.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Junior takes a drag off his weed, then proceeds to list absent social amenities like education, electricity, and employment opportunities, which <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">bunkerers <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">are now providing, playing the government\u2019s role.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Then, he asks: \u201cIf there is no bunkering, who will do these things?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-bc7e228 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"bc7e228\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-daffe83\" data-id=\"daffe83\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4bea7b8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"4bea7b8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Credits<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5cf0ab2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"5cf0ab2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Photography and Cinematography by Muhammed Akinyemi<\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-52db794 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"52db794\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Editing by \u2018Kunle Adebajo, Hauwa Shaffii Nuhu<\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-aa02776 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"aa02776\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Data analysis by Anita Eboigbe, Isaac Oritogun<\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-29ac58b elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"29ac58b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">GIS\/Air data analysis by Mansir Muhammed<\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0a79876 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"0a79876\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Additional reporting by Yekeen Akinwale <\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1a61cb7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1a61cb7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Visualisations by Akila Jibrin, Anita Eboigbe, Mansir Muhammed<\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2d3284d elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2d3284d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Cover Illustration by Walker Gawande\/Unbias The News<\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1f36d88 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1f36d88\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Design Team: Attahiru Jibrin, Khadija Gidado<\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-f995331 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"f995331\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-cbddd98\" data-id=\"cbddd98\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-defe624 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"defe624\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"color: #a56060; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;\">No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means without proper attribution to HumAngle, generally including the author&#8217;s name, a link to the publication and a line of acknowledgement.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2de0563 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"2de0563\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.9.2 - 21-12-2022 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100%;-webkit-mask-repeat:var(--divider-pattern-repeat);mask-repeat:var(--divider-pattern-repeat);background-color:var(--divider-color);-webkit-mask-image:var(--divider-pattern-url);mask-image:var(--divider-pattern-url)}.elementor-widget-divider--no-spacing{--divider-pattern-size:auto}.elementor-widget-divider--bg-round{--divider-pattern-repeat:round}.rtl .elementor-widget-divider .elementor-divider__text{direction:rtl}.e-con-inner>.elementor-widget-divider,.e-con>.elementor-widget-divider{width:var(--container-widget-width);--flex-grow:var(--container-widget-flex-grow)}<\/style>\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-dd9fedc elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"dd9fedc\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-68b1040\" data-id=\"68b1040\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>All Die Na Die: At The Heart Of Nigeria\u2019s Soot Problem Illegal oil refining is causing irreversible damage to the environment, the people, and the air in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, South-south Nigeria. While the government said it has dismantled illegal refining sites, a visit to different refining sites confirms otherwise. Dark Skies The sun [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":796,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-310","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-home"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>All Die Na Die: At The Heart Of Nigeria\u2019s Soot Problem - HumAngle<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/all-die-na-die-at-the-heart-of-nigerias-soot-problem\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"All Die Na Die: At The Heart Of Nigeria\u2019s Soot Problem\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Illegal oil refining is causing irreversible damage to the environment, the people, and the air in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, South-south Nigeria. While the government said it has dismantled illegal refining sites, a visit to different refining sites confirms otherwise.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/all-die-na-die-at-the-heart-of-nigerias-soot-problem\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"HumAngle\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/HumAngle-102638534701616\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-05-21T10:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2022-12-10T11:44:38+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/interactive.humanglemedia.com\/hgl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_8109-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1920\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Muhammed Akinyemi\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"All Die Na Die: At The Heart Of Nigeria\u2019s Soot Problem\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Illegal oil refining is causing irreversible damage to the environment, the people, and the air in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, South-south Nigeria. 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