THE NATION

Over 112 illegal refineries have been discovered in the creeks of Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The Chairman, Mr. Samuel Nwanosike, said at the weekend that most of the sites were located in the Ogbodo community.

He said the community was close to about 17 Shell lines.

Speaking during a briefing at the council secretariat, he said: “We have identified over 112 cooking sites. About 99 per cent of them are located in one community called Ogbodo close to about 17 Shell lines. We are taking it head-on.

“There is no going back until all results are achieved. We will never allow it to happen again.”

It was gathered at the weekend that Governor Nyesom Wike fulfilled his promise to provide financial assistance to local government chairmen to enable them to destroy all illegal refineries in their domains.

The governor called on the Federal Government to fight illegal refining and oil theft in a similar way it was waging war against terrorism.

Wike, who spoke at the Government House when he met with traditional rulers, urged them to force out operators of illegal refineries from their domains.

The governor told the monarchs that those involved in illegal refining were sabotaging the economy.

He said: “I should think that the way Federal Government intends to fight insurgency is the way they should fight illegal oil bunkering because it is sabotage on the national economy – very big sabotage. It affects our revenue.

“If we are supposed to produce two million barrels, for example, we are now producing 1.2 million. And in that 1.2 million barrels, it affects Rivers because we are not producing up to the number we are supposed to produce, and then we can’t get the money to do whatever you want us to do.”     The governor also said illegal refineries activities constituted an environmental hazard capable of causing cancer.

The governor said his primary concern was to ensure that the health of residents was not jeopardised.

He said: “It is the responsibility of the Federal Government to see how this thing can be stopped.

“As I speak to you, nobody has called me from the Federal Government to say how they can support us. But that is not my business.

“My business is the health of my people. I will not because the Federal Government is not interested to stop it, therefore my people should die. If everybody dies, who are you going to govern?”

The governor urged the traditional rulers to mobilise members of their community development committees (CDC) and the leadership of their youth groups to work in synergy to dislodge illegal refinery operators from their domains.

Wike berated the Police for being complicit in the criminal act of illegal oil bunkering, saying they were not committed to the fight to stop the operations.

He described as embarrassing officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) being complicit in the act and shamelessly being involved in sabotaging the economy.

He said: “I don’t know how I can be a security officer sent to a place to protect people, to protect whatsoever belongs to the Federal Government, at the same time, I’m involved in sabotaging the national economy.

“I don’t understand how I can wear a uniform and be involved in that. If they do not want to support us, we have no choice but to expose all the atrocities that are going on in this state.”

Wike said he recently received intelligence that an Army Major was providing exit services to illegally refined petroleum products and had to send security personnel to thwart it.

“In fact, I had to send my special security to go and intercept a major, who was trying to escort some of these illegal products,” he said.

The governor declared that his administration would not hesitate to expose any security personnel involved in such illegal refinery activities.

Wike frowned at the inability of the police to arrest members of the illegal bunkering cartel operating at the Ibaa community in the Ikwerre Local Government Area.