What can be described as the largest artisanal crude oil refining site popularly known as ‘Kpo-fire’ has been discovered in Ebububy the Chairman of Eleme Local Government Area, Chief ObarilomateOllor.
With over six boiling points and counting, the illegal refining site is located in the Akpa-Charaforest inEgbalor, Ebubu clan, Eleme LGA, Rivers State about 200 kilometres away from the community, covering vast hectares of devastated land and water body.
Responsible for part of the climatic hazard and soot ravaging Rivers State and its environs, the illegal site has been described as an epicentre of illegal bunkering activities in the state.
A statement made available to The Tide, last Monday, said the Eleme LGA chairman had led the enforcement team andyouths from the community into the forest in company of security personnel to enforce the directives of Rivers State Governor, Chief NyesomWikeon the ban on illegal bunkering activities in Rivers State.
Ollor, who decried the high level of damage done on the large arable land by the criminally insane group, called on the federal and state governments to swing into action in a bid to immediately correct the errors by providing reparation for the damaged land.
The chairman, who expressed shock with what he saw at the Egbalormangrove forest and the level of sabotage done to the nation’s economy, said such a venture could not have been effectively undertaken if it wasnot an organised crime involving security agencies and the people.
He said that without such partnership it would not have been possible to move such products when refined from the distant location to their end users.
Ollor pleaded with the state and federal governments to see his plea as an SOS call because the activities of the criminals have done a great deal of damage to the land and people of Eleme, whose life expectancy has been greatly threatened by the soot particles resulting from the illegal and unbecoming act.
The Tide reports that during the visit, the chairman and his team invaded some organised ‘Kpo-fire’ storage points in the Federal Ocean Terminal Onne (NPA),Onne Wharf, as some were also discovered in an uncompleted building right beside Dangote Cement Plc at FOT Onne.
Ollor further used the opportunity to thank Wike for declaring war against illegal crude oil mining and artisanal refining in the state, an avenue he said, revealed so much illegality and criminality that was bedevilling and threatening the wellbeing of the people.
He assured the governor that he would carryout the assignment to the later, and also warned those involved in the despicable act to desist from it or risk being apprehended.
Other storage points discovered were, however, destroyed to prevent the bunkerers from resettling and continuing the unacceptable business.

By: Nelson Chukwudi