Violence and militancy in Nigeria -- particularly in the oil-rich Niger Delta -- continues to hamper petroleum production in the volatile West African nation and threatens to disrupt upcoming presidential elections, analysts and experts tell World Politics Review. In just the last few days, at least 10 people have been killed in an around Port Harcourt, the de facto capital of the delta, where some 2 million barrels of oil are produced a day, according to independent estimates. Dozens of kidnappings since the beginning of the year by armed militants have prompted foreign oil firms to evacuate thousands of workers and shut down several operations, hampering production nationwide by at least 20 percent.
As Nigeria Elections Approach, Niger Delta Violence Continues
