IPMAN Uncovers Illegal Bunkering Sites In Rivers

The Independent Petroleum Marketer Associationn of Nigeria (IPMAN), Rivers State chapter, says, over 60 hectares of farmland have been discovered as dump ground for illegal bunkering business in Ogoni and Andoni areas of the state.
The chairman, IPMAN taskforce in charge of four local government areas in Rivers South East – Senatorial District, Mr Enyinah Londy disclosed this in an interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt, Sunday.
According to Londy, his team in the last two weeks disclosed in Gokana, Khana, Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro local government areas that most farmers, especially in Ogoniland, have leased out their land as hide-out for illegal bunkering business for quick money.
He said most farmers decided to quit farming work to join illegal bunkering business, a gesture he described as great danger to the state agricultural development. He said, his taskforce team in the last two weeks has destroyed over 15 tankers of adulterated petro chemical products discovered in various farms in the area.
The taskforce chairman said, the state may soon experience serious challenges in agriculture development, if their activity of illegal bunkering was not aggressively addressed.
He said, some persons stored the adulterated petroleum products under ground in G.P tanks and polythene material, with some spilling into the farmland.
Londy said the taskforce was ready to bring the illegal bunkering to a standstill, saying that the taskforce was gradually reducing the rates of illegal bunkering activities in the areas.
Londy, who warned those leasing their farmland for illegal bunkering because of quick money, said the taskforce would soon go after the owners of the farmland for aiding and abetting illegal bunkering in the state.

Enoch Epelle