Reports say no fewer than 82 illegal crude oil refineries across communities in Ahoada West local government area alone have been destroyed and dislodged since the governor of the state, Barr. Nyesom Wike, gave a location by location order to the chairmen of various local government areas in the state.
A fortnight ago, the governor ordered all the 23 local council chairmen to hire bulldozers and destroy every identified illegal crude oil bunkering and artisanal refinery sites in the state.
Addressing the chairmen at a meeting in Port Harcourt, the governor handed them over a list of the refineries generated from private investigation he said he ordered earlier.
He promised to provide financial support to the chairmen to hire bulldozers and swamp buggies to destroy the sites. The governor also asked the Rivers state commissioner of Police, Eboka Friday, to provide adequate security for the chairmen as they destroy the refineries.
The meeting held on January 19, also had in attendance the state commissioner of police and the commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Giving an update of the situation Ahoada West local government, the Council Chairman, Mr. Hope Ikiriko, said the help of security agencies, council has destroyed a total of 82 illegal refineries in the local government.
A statement issued by the Council Chairman’s press secretary, Mr. Madu Madueke, said the council embarked on the raid with a view to eradicating crude oil theft in the area, according the mandate of the state governor.
According to the statement, during the exercise, 19 illegal refining points were destroyed in Idu-Ekpeye and three in Ebrass communities while drilling machines and other local equipment used for the illegal crude trade were impounded.
The council chairman restated his commitment to sustaining the fight against the illicit trade until sanity was restored to the area now bedeviled by poor air quality.
By Chibisi Ohakah, Abuja
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