Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike declared that the Federal Government is unable to reign over parties involved in illicit oil bunkering and refining due to the cooperation of security services.
He said that the Federal Government had refused to address the threat posed by the disastrous impact of illicit oil bunkering on the national economy and artisanal refining on the environment of the State.
He blamed Nigeria’s seemingly interminable troubles on the same lack of solid leadership devoted to national progress.
On Tuesday, Wike was paid a courtesy call at Government House in Port Harcourt by participants in the Strategic Management and Policy Studies Course 4/2021 of the Nigeria Army Resource Centre, Abuja, led by Major General James. G.K. Myam.
Kelvin Ebiri, Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, made the announcement in a statement on Tuesday.
“Come see what we’ve done. It’s to demonstrate leadership. Because security personnel were implicated, the Federal Government was unable to prevent oil bunkering here. The police, the civil defense, the army, and the navy were all involved. As a result, no one would be able to stand firm and bring it to a stop”.
“Take a look at how illicit oil bunkering is sabotaging Nigeria’s national economy. Take a look at the soot. People in Rivers were dying, but we said no, we will not allow this to happen again, and we seized the bull by the horns,” Wike stated.
When he personally visited several illegal oil bunkering sites, he said he proved that his government will not condone the acts of individuals risking the health of people of the state and damaging the national economy.
Wike lamented the Federal Government’s reluctance to prosecute individuals participating in such operations, pointing out that persons working in the oil business are also part of the cartel engaging in illicit oil bunkering and artisanal refining.