- Amaechi, Wike make counter-claims as navy conquers militant oil thieves
Residents of Rivers State in the Niger Delta are heaving a sigh of relief over the hazardous soot which for years has caused the death of many people and held others down with various forms of diseases. Worried by the menace, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari took drastic The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, was also unhappy with the situation, which was the result of illegal oil bunkering and refining of crude oil in the Niger Delta region, particularly in Rivers State. He declared zero tolerance for soot.
Taking up the challenge, the Commander of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder, Rumuorlumeni, Port Harcourt, Commodore Sam Bura, had deployed soot hunters made up of naval personnel in the 23 local government areas of Rivers State, to stamp out the menace by apprehending criminals involved in oil theft and illegal refining defiling the atmosphere. They were also charged with the responsibility of locating illegal bunkering/refining sites in the creeks of Rivers State while also detecting items meant for illegal refining and confiscating them.
Residents of Rivers State had in the last three years been battling with the deadly soot to no avail until the intervention and change of strategy by NNS Pathfinder, particularly in the last three months.
In the heady days of the soot menace in the state, cars parked outside were covered with black particles by daybreak. Household items were messed up by soot while merely inserting a white handkerchief in the nostrils revealed the penetration of black particles/substances, which health experts say can cause cancer and respiratory diseases, among other ailments.
Security personnel were initially burning down illegal refining sites, the equipment, refined products and stolen crude oil. But that approach was also polluting the environment, prompting the navy to opt for the use of swamp buggies, which have put an end to the pollution while the criminals responsible for it were sent out of business.
In the era when illegal refining sites were burnt, the criminals would either return to the same sites or relocate to other parts of the creek after a few weeks, making use of the relics of the burnt items. But swamp buggies proved to be more effective in tackling the menace.
Amaechi, Wike make counter-claims
The Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, had said for the eight years that he reigned as the governor of Rivers State, there was nothing like soot in the state because his administration dislodged the illegal oil bunkerers involved in illegal refining. He accused his successor and current governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, returned the criminals to the state.
Amaechi, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), also alleged that the criminals were used by Wike to rig the 2015 elections, but the guns given to them were not retrieved, aiding their return to crime to survive, with deadly soot as the result.
But Wike, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), urged discerning minds not to take seriously the allegations levelled against him by his former boss (Amaechi), saying that his administration bought many gunboats for the navy to frontally tackle criminal activities on the state’s waterways, while also supporting other security agencies.
The Rivers State governor stressed that the battle against soot was also being fought by his government, but with different approaches like preventing the burning of tyres, campaigning against burning of seized tankers, crude oil and illegally-refined products, as well as empowering the youth as a way of discouraging them from going into illegal activities.
Crude oil stolen by armed illegal bunkerers are refined illegally in the creeks to produce diesel, petrol and kerosene, all fondly called Kpo-fire. The products have been damaging vehicle engines while the explosion resulting from the use of their kerosene has led to deaths and injuries.
The making of illegal refineries
Setting up an illegal refining site is very expensive. Pipes, tanks, drums and other items must be purchased while experts are needed to couple them and build boats, particularly big Cotonou boats which can convey many drums of crude oil or illegally-refined products. Speed boats are also needed for easy movement.
It was learnt that heat from illegal refining could kill while a little mistake made by the illegal refiners and their “boys” could lead to instant death, in spite of the free money they get from stolen crude oil.
With their illegal refining sites destroyed with swamp buggies, the scraps of their equipment are now being sold in order to minimise their losses.
A visit to one of the destroyed oil refining sites in the creek of Bolo, the headquarters of Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area of Rivers State via a naval gunboat revealed the huge damage done to the environment by pollution resulting from the activities of economic saboteurs.
Regular speedboats not accompanied by security personnel would easily be overrun by illegal bunkerers/refiners. But they fear the 12.7 mm bullets from the naval gunboat which could easily tear a human being into pieces.
The high-calibre weapons of the gunboat would not respect the amulets won by criminals, and they would quickly surrender when caught in illegal refining, crude oil theft/illegal bunkering and sea piracy, with the military’s weapons being regularly upgraded.
With the criminals also aware that bullets from naval gunboat can bring down aircraft, they dare not run when caught in action in spite of being always fully armed.
Travelling by water is hazardous, because besides being attacked by criminals who would dispossess travellers of their valuables and money, the expensive engines of their boat could also be removed and taken away by sea pirates, leaving the boat driver and his passengers to struggle with paddle until they get help. Some of the passengers may be kidnapped while the ladies among them could be raped right inside the boat.
Feeling the people’s pulse
To feel the pulse of the dwellers of the coastal communities affected by soot from illegal refineries, our reporter moved into Bolo community after leaving the illegal refining site near the ancient community.
Surprisingly, many of the youthful respondents in the community admitted to being involved in illegal refining and crude oil theft but decided to quit in view of the losses caused by the frequent destruction of their expensive equipment and other materials by navy’s swamp buggies.
An indigene of Bolo, Mr. Tubonemi Nyengibi, who fearlessly admitted to being involved in illegal refining, said: “In the days of illegal bunkering/refining, before the destruction of the equipment by naval personnel, we faced many health challenges. Then, between 6 pm and 7 am, it was always difficult to open windows, because of the dangerous soot which would make the nostrils and household items to turn black.
“It was impossible then to spread white clothes outside till daybreak as they would turn black. Illegal bunkering and illegal refining are not good. The people, especially the youths, should desist from getting involved, as they are against Nigerian laws. Before now, I was involved, but I am no longer taking part. I later decided to go to school to become a better person.”
Another indigene of Bolo, Tamuno-Okwein Godwin, corroborated Nyengibi, saying that using the swamp buggies was the most effective method of sending the criminals out of business and putting an end to the pollution of the environment, thereby improving the health of the inhabitants of the various communities.
The Crown Prince of Bolo, Tamunotonye Abolo, urged the Federal Government to assist members of the community, especially the well-educated youths who are jobless and opted for illegal refining to survive despite knowing that it was hazardous to their health and would destroy their sources of livelihood, especially fishing.
Abolo added that the youths must be employed, adequately empowered and given scholarship in order to stop getting involved in illegal refining and illegal bunkering.
A resident of one of the riverine communities in Rivers State, Agbede Oloye, admitted that he and others were involved in illegal bunkering and refining in order to help themselves. But he said in the last three months, patrolling naval personnel had made it impossible for them to operate, especially using swamp buggies to destroy their equipment and other items at the sites.
Oloye said: “In view of the destruction of our illegal refining sites by naval personnel, we are now at home doing nothing. I must admit that if it was in the days of illegal refining, I cannot wear this white T-shirt because of soot, as it would have turned black and the river would have been stained because of pollution from crude oil.
“Without anything to feed on, we are now selling to Hausa people the scraps of the oven, pipes and other equipment from the destruction of illegal equipment carried out by naval personnel. We are also selling our speed boats. Illegal bunkering is now difficult to do in Rivers State these days. Federal Government should assist us.”
For about two months, personnel of NNS Pathfinder were involved in day and night operations across the 23 LGAs of Rivers state to destroy the illegal refining sites with swamp buggies.
NNS Pathfinder’s Executive Officer, Captain Victor Choji, admitted that the biggest concerns in Rivers State lately were illegal refining of stolen crude oil and the resultant soot.
He noted that the soot affected everybody, adding that the proactive soot hunters put in place by NNS Pathfinder were already producing results through regular patrols and expansion of intelligence network to identify where materials for illegal refining were being purchased.
Choji said: “Illegal refining is central to other criminal activities like illegal bunkering, sea piracy, cultism and armed robbery, because money from illegal refining is mostly used to buy speed boats, arms and ammunition for sea piracy and armed robbery. Once illegal refining is stopped with the use of swamp buggies, soot will end and other criminal activities will be curtailed.
“The ingenuity and intellect of the illegal refiners can be utilised for legitimate businesses or activities. Every human being has the option of doing the right or wrong thing. Government cannot provide everything for everybody.
“Persons who are involved in illegal activities are either lazy or greedy and want free money. Nigeria is so blessed that there are many legitimate things that hardworking people can do, thereby positively contributing to societal development. People, especially the youth, must look inward. There is no excuse for getting involved in criminal activities.”