Fishermen Alert On Illegal Refinery In Rivers Creeks

Fishermen under the umbrella of Association of Fishermen in Andoni, Bonny territorial waters in Rivers state, have alerted the state government and security agencies on existence of illegal petroleum products refineries in creeks of the area.

The fishermen, through the chairman of the association in the zone, Mr Dienye Dienye also wants the governments to check the activities of the officers of the Nigeria Navy surveillance groups set up by shell and NNPC to protect vandalisation of oil and gas pipelines in the creeks.

Apart from 60 persons killed, the fishermen also said that over 80 –persons were still receiving treatment locally in various hospitals as victims of various fire  incidents in the area.

The people further lamented that the activities of the oil bunkerer which involved exposing petroleum products in the creeks had placed the life of fishermen and the entire environment s in serious danger.

The association chairman, Mr Dienye expressed worry that the activities of the illegal bunkering had been on steady growth because of the involvement of officers of the various security agencies detailed to secure the creeks.

Mr Dienye said if not urgently checked if could degenerate into another phase of militancy in the Niger Delta region, particularly in Rivers State.

He blamed the increasing problem of environmental degradation to oil spillages which result mostly in the illegal activity of bunkerers which according to him had imparted negatively to the operations of members of the association.

The fishermen boss opined that government should considered that plights of the fishermen in the area, and comes to their aid by stopping the activities of bunkering in entirely in the creeks.

Enoch Epelle

One of the isometrics display during the opening ceremony of the 17th National Sports Festival, yesterday