elta . ▁ ▁Environment al ▁issues ▁ ▁The ▁effects ▁of ▁oil ▁in ▁the ▁frag ile ▁Niger ▁D elta ▁communities ▁and ▁environment ▁have ▁been ▁enorm ous . ▁Local ▁ind igen ous ▁people ▁have ▁seen ▁little ▁if ▁any ▁improvement ▁in ▁their ▁standard ▁of ▁living ▁while ▁suffering ▁serious ▁damage ▁to ▁their ▁natural ▁environment . ▁According ▁to ▁Niger ian ▁federal ▁government ▁figures , ▁there ▁were ▁more ▁than ▁ 7 , 0 0 0 ▁oil ▁sp ills ▁between ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 0 . ▁It ▁has ▁been ▁estimated ▁that ▁a ▁clean - up ▁of ▁the ▁region , ▁including ▁full ▁rest oration ▁of ▁sw amps , ▁cre eks , ▁fish ing ▁grounds ▁and ▁mang ro ves , ▁could ▁take ▁ 2 5 ▁years . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁▁ ▁Ann ang ▁ ▁E fik ▁ ▁I bib io ▁ ▁I j aw ▁ ▁Is oko ▁ ▁Or on ▁( state ) ▁ ▁Og oni ▁ ▁It se ki ri ▁ ▁Ur h ob o ▁ ▁U kw u ani ▁ ▁Niger ▁D elta ▁conflicts ▁ ▁Niger ian ▁O il ▁Cris is ▁ ▁Niger ▁D elta ▁Development ▁Commission ▁( ND DC ) ▁ ▁Pet role um ▁industry ▁in ▁Niger ia ▁ ▁Ig bo ▁ ▁Y or uba ▁ ▁B ia fra ▁War ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁S ources ▁ ▁Niger ▁D elta - Arch ive ▁of ▁News , ▁Inter views , ▁Articles , ▁Analysis ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁to ▁Pres ent ▁ ▁Pro ceed ings ▁of ▁the ▁I bib io ▁Union ▁ 1 9