LG Boss Wants SPDC To Dismantle Ilegal Oil Bunkering Lines

The Executive Chairman, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, Hon  Samuel Nwanosike, has  called on the management of the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) to seek modalities and cut off all illegal lines constructed by illegal oil bunkerers at Ogbodo Community of Isiokpo in the loca government area.
Nwanosike made the call while inspecting some illegal oil bunkering sites in the area, last week.
He also sought for the creation of military checkpoints at the spots so as to put to an end to the on going bunkering activities in the area.
The council boss, who hosted the  Rivers State Ministry of Environment and National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), along side the SPDC team,  said that the narratives must change, thus the need for  on-the-spot assessment of the illegal oil activity allegedly going on at Ogbodo, Isiopko.
“As far as we are concerned, this visit will mean well for us as a people if after your visit you shut down your main line and cut off all those illegal lines attached to your main line and create military checkpoint in that spot”, he said.
According to him, such moves, would usher in what  he described as a win-win situation for both the community and the company.
Another argument he advanced for the deal, was to curb unwarranted revenue loss caused by the activities of the alleged illegal oil bunkerers
”You are loosing revenue from the crude they are stealing,  and the inconvenience of the community being on your neck over the devastation of their environment based on the activity will reduce”, he said.
Nwanosike who sternly warned against illegal oil operation in the area, hinted that his administration,  had taken necessary steps in line with the requisite laws in collaboration with  Slumberger and crushed the already existing  locally built refinery in the area.
He further hinted that the feat was achieved by the effort of the Military, Nigeria Police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The engineer-turned politician also revealed how the illegal oil operators, in an attempt to frustrate the effort of his government, smartly   employed the services of some experts who aided them and  laid pipes through valves to the seaside where they loaded the illegally obtained crude oil to unknown destinations.
It was gathered that one of their nocturnal activities resulted to an  inferno,  suspected oil thieves, were said to have abandoned on sensing that the Council and his team were about rounding them up.
“Luck ran out of them when we heard information that they were on the spot and we try to visit them at the point in that site. So, they quickly abandoned the site and took to their heels”, he added.
Wobutam Chimezie,  A representative of SPDC, Enger Wobutam Chimezie and his counterpart from NOSDRA, Mr Alexander Igwebu,  lauded the council boss for his efforts and  assured them that he would  take the reports of their findings to the appropriate quarters, for necessary action.