On a ledge overlooking narrow mangrove creeks, knives bite into the throat of a sacrificial ram. The Egebesu Boys, one of the gangs that steal billions of dollars worth of crude oil from Nigeria every year, are preparing to make themselves bulletproof. Yet the men will need more than blood and cloth charms to do so. The notorious Mobile Police, nicknamed 'Kill and Go', regularly assault their stronghold with helicopter gunships. The Nigerian government estimates crude oil worth HK$78 million is stolen from the country every week. Even for Africa's largest oil exporter, this accounts for nearly one-sixth of all oil produced in the country. 'The gangs either bore directly into the pipelines or load trucks and barges from unsecured well-heads,' said Jossy Aiguwurto, one of Royal Dutch/Shell's security advisers. 'The stolen crude is then towed out to sea in barges, where tankers wait, loaded with cash and weapons.' Legally produced oil is shipped to the United States, Europe and Asia, but stolen oil is usually destined for refineries along the West African coast. 'A lot of Russians are involved in [transporting crude] because when the old USSR collapsed, lots of ships were stolen or sold for a song,' said one tanker owner. 'The Nigerian navy often acts as 'protection'. It's more than just agreeing not to arrest a barge or tanker. They escort it, with radar on, to protect it from other freeloaders.' Few ships are detained. Impounded vessels often mysteriously vanish from police custody, lending credence to rumours that high-ranking Nigerian officials are involved in oil smuggling. Last month, the MT African Pride, a Russian oil tanker carrying 11,300 tonnes of stolen crude, disappeared. A few days later, the tanker MT Jimoh also vanished from police protection. It was later recovered at an island near Port Harcourt, with a new name painted on its side. Mutiu Sunomu, Shell's production manager, says 55,000 to 60,000 barrels of the company's oil is stolen every day. Although he denies that Shell tolerates such theft, which often profits powerful local leaders, 'it is strange the thieves seem so familiar with our asset base [of pipelines and wellheads]'. One oil industry executive said: 'Near elections, oil theft always rises, because the politicians need to buy votes and weapons for their enforcers.' Shell confirmed that around the time of last year's elections, theft from its pipelines in the Eastern division peaked at about 100,000 barrels per day, nearly double the normal rate. The sudden influx of cash and guns into poverty-stricken communities has taken its toll. Amnesty International estimated violence claimed 500 lives last month in Port Harcourt, Nigeria's oil-producing capital. Local people say a feud between the Egebesu Boys, led by Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, and the Rivers State government is to blame for most of the violence. The Egebesu Boys, who also call themselves the Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force, threatened to blow up oil installations at the beginning of this month, causing global oil prices to surge beyond US$50 a barrel. An 'all out war' against local government forces and western oil companies was averted only by 11th-hour peace talks between Mr Asari and President Olusegun Obasanjo. 'The gangs are growing in size, becoming more territorial and more organised,' said one Port Harcourt resident. 'Once they start selling offshore, that is very big money, and very dangerous. If this trend continues, the Niger Delta will be a war zone during the next elections.'