Resumen
This study aims to examine the relationship between Nigeria security agencies and the reduction of environmental pollution by illegal bunkering activities in Rivers State, Nigeria. Three research questions and three hypotheses drive the investigation. For this study, a correlational research approach was used. The study's participants include residents of Rivers State's Degema, Akuku-Toru, Asari-Toru, Andoni, Okrika, Port Harcourt, and Ogu/Bolo Local Government Areas. Each Local Government Area had two villages chosen. Second, thirty (30) respondents were chosen using simple random selection from each of the seven Local Government Areas. As a result, the research utilized a sample of two hundred and ten (210) respondents. The structured questionnaire titled Government Security Agencies and Environmental Pollution Reduction was used to gather data for this study (GSAEPRQ). The Cronbach alpha reliability was utilized to evaluate the instrument's reliability in the research. To answer the study questions, the collected data was analyzed using mean and standard deviation, while the Pearson Product Moment Coefficient method was utilized to evaluate the given hypotheses at 0.05 significance. Findings from the study revealed that the Nigeria Security Agencies in their effort of curbing oil theft and illegal bunkering activities to reduce environmental pollution, their proactive actions have also contributed in polluting the environment through their act of destroying and burning arrested stolen products in Rivers State, Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The study was concluded that environmental pollution, which is the unfavorable alteration of our surroundings and also the activities of the Nigeria Security agencies while destructing and burning of seized crude oil in the region. The study now recommended that Government of Nigeria should build a reservoir site in most strategies place to store recovered and stolen crude oil rather than burning when arrested.