Oil Theft: Rivers Governor directs Police DPO’s redeployment over alleged ownership of illegal refinery

*‘It is unfortunate for this country how security people will be involved in illegal bunkering. I can’t believe it…. But the man must leave here, not transferred. He must leave this state,’ says Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State of Nigeria

Alexander Davis | ConsumerConnect

Alleging official connivance in the deadly ‘illegal refinery business’ that has continued to threaten the health of the citizens and other residents of his state in particular and Nigeria at large, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Chairmen of all the 23 Local Government (LG) Councils to identify culprits behind the harmful activities in their jurisdictions.

ConsumerConnect reports Governor Wike has asked the Council Chairmen to provide a comprehensive list of illegal refineries and their operators within their jurisdiction.

Illegal oil refinery site in the Niger Delta

Wike issued the ultimatum at a meeting with the Council Chairmen and Heads of the Nigerian  Army, Nigerian Air Force,  Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Police, Directorate of State Service and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps at Government House Friday, January 14, 2022.

Kelvin Ebiri, Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, in issued in Port Harcourt, the state capital, said Wike challenged Council Chairmen to prove they were not complicit in the harmful business which he noted has threatened the health of the people of Rivers State and the national economy.

According to the governor, as a responsible government, it would be unwise for them to fold their hands and do nothing to safeguard residents of the state from the death forced upon them by criminally-minded operators of artisanal refineries.

The statement noted: “Now, every Council Chairman must go and identify where illegal refineries are taking place.

“If you identify one, you get N2million. So, go and identify as many as you can.

“I will pay N2m for each one. And I am going to fight against this. Our people are dying and we owe our people the responsibility to protect them, to save them from death they never caused.

“So, you must, and you’re given 48 hours to go and identify all illegal refineries sites, and those who are in charge of them.”

The governor emphasised that any of the council chairmen who was afraid to join in the fight against the criminals operating the illegal refineries should be ready to resign, stated Ebiri.

Security agencies protect illegal refinery operators ─Wike

The Rivers State Governor also frowned at certain security agencies for the ignoble role some of their personnel in aiding and providing cover for the operators of the illegal refineries negative;y affecting the health of consumers in the state.

Wike urged Eboka Friday, Rivers State Commissioner of Police (CP), to redeploy a particular DPO in Emohua Local Government Area out of the state for purportedly operating an illegal refinery in the area.

He said: “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.”

Governor Wike, therefore, also directed the CP to immediately arrest Chief W. J. Wocha, Fubara Ohaka and Chief Promise Ezekwe, whom he stated had been fingered for operating illegal refineries deep inside the forest of Ibaa community, in Emohua Local Government Area.

Besides, the governor also urged the Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Rivers State Command, to immediately transfer its personnel in charge of vandalisation of pipelines in Rivers State.

He declared: “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?”

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