Governor Nyesom Wike has chastised security forces for assisting and shielding the operators of illegal refineries in the state.
The governor, who is worried about the state’s soot pollution, designated the DPO in Emohua Local Government Area as one of the area’s illegal refinery operators.
“It’s unfortunate for this country how security people will be involved in illegal bunkering. I can’t believe it. Mr. CP, I thank you for transferring the DPO in Rumuji, who owns a refinery. But the man must leave here, not transferred. He must leave this state.
“I can’t be governor here and security man owns an illegal refinery. No, it is not possible, the man has to go. Take him to wherever they allow bunkering,” he said.
He ordered the CP to arrest Chief W. J. Wocha, Fubara Ohaka, and Chief Promise Ezekwe, who have been accused of running illicit refineries deep in the Emohua Local Government Area’s forest of Ibaa.
The governor also urged the Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Rivers State Command, to transfer soldiers in charge of pipeline vandalism in the state as soon as possible.
“Transfer the man, and tell him to leave. He is a complete saboteur. I mean, how can security men be the one involved in this. What kind of country are we?”
“It doesn’t matter how highly placed you are. If you like be the paramount ruler. In fact, any traditional ruler that is involved, pick him for me. Let him understand that the law does not respect anybody.”
Wike ordered Dr Chidi Lloyd, the chairman of the Emohua Council, to find households where processed crude oil products are housed and inform the public about their sources.
He stated that the goal of addressing this calamity is to ensure that the health of Rivers residents is not jeopardized further by illicit refining activities.
“If not, our people will continue to die. Even you, you’re not safe from related sicknesses like cancer. All those products in the houses; You must go after them, they must tell you where they got the products. Enough is enough.
“Look at what is happening, they are dying. I want to live. So, we must stop this illegal refinery activities.
“And I have said to the Federal Government, if you’re not willing to do anything, don’t promise people anything. You told them that you will do something, how can you promise modular refinery.
“What I’m talking about is the safety of Rivers people. That is more important to me.”
The problem of illicit refining activities in the area, according to Lloyd, is beyond the council’s capacity to address.
He was perplexed as to why the Federal Government had broken its pledge to build modular refineries in the Niger Delta region.
“Thank God for your boldness. Rivers people are now aware. On a daily basis people roast and burn here. The whole Ibaa community has been taken over by this trade.
“And when you talk, they say look, if they don’t do this, they’ll go to the roads and begin to carry arms. And I say to them, you don’t dig a hole to cover another hole. Your business shouldn’t kill me.”
Meanwhile, the Governor was shown around an illegal oil refining complex at Ogbodo-Isiokpo in the Ikwerre Local Government area by Ikwerre Local Government Chairman Samuel Nwanosike.
Source; NaijaOnPoint.com
