In addition to oil pipeline leakages from small-scale tapping, the JTF's anti-refinery and illegal oil market operations have led to the uncontrolled destruction of illegal crude oil reserves. Given the simple construction of bush refineries and their placement in isolated locations, all efforts by the JTF to mitigate the illegal refinement of oil products have largely been futile. In September 2018, the unemployment rate in Nigeria had reached up to 23%. Consequently, in tandem with the high unemployment rate, the pollution of waterways and the contamination of local fish populations have forced many young Nigerians to partake in oil theft and illegal refinery activities. Although there is considerable acknowledgement of the extensive involvement of a wide group of participants in the Nigerian oil theft trade, the network of protection that the Nigerian political elite and security forces provide to lower-level participants perpetuates the existence of the trade. In addition, the profitability of crude oil products and the lack of government oversight in the supervision of the vast oil pipeline fields serve as incentives for Nigerian officials and members of the local population to partake in the sale of stolen petroleum products. Similarly, the lack of social welfare in Nigeria, the high poverty rate, and poor governance are elements that foster a positive environment for oil theft operations. Given the development of the Niger Delta Avengers and Buhari's failure to remove corruption from the Nigerian government, large-scale political corruption serves as the protective mechanism that allows efforts in oil theft to persist.