Someone's Making a Killing in Nigeria

Nadine Marshall, Obi Abili, and David Ajala star in Rex Obano's drama, set in Rivers State, Nigeria, in 1994.

The Ogoni people's campaign against the environmental degradation of their land by the oil industry has crystallised into a mass movement. Under General Abacha's military regime, the dispute between the people led by Ken Saro-Wiwa on the one hand, and big oil on the other, is reaching its height - when one local businesswoman finds herself caught up in its notoriously violent consequences.

This drama uses fictional characters to reflect on real events, about which responsibilities are still disputed, and many details have never fully come to light.

The Price of Oil season of factual dramas explores the history of oil - and the price we've paid for it. All this week, The Price of Oil takes us from 1951 to 2045, and around the world from Iran to Alaska, Libya, Nigeria, Turkmenistan, Washington and onto Scotland's offshore rigs, to explore the role oil has played in shaping our world.

The season is devised by Nicolas Kent, with Jack Bradley & Jonathan Myerson, and produced by Jonquil Panting for BBC Radio Drama. As director of London's Tricycle theatre for almost 30 years, Nicolas Kent championed responsive factual and political drama, including seasons of plays by renowned writers about Afghanistan (The Great Game) and nuclear weapons (The Bomb). Now he brings that experience to BBC Radio 4, to tell the story of oil.

The poem 'Ogoni! Ogoni!' quoted in the drama, was written by Ken Saro-Wiwa.

Someone's Making a Killing in Nigeria was directed by Jonquil Panting.