The war against oil theft will not yield the expected results. Reason. Top-ranking military, police and civil defence officers are involved in it, Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike alleged yesterday.
He urged the Federal Government view the damage caused by activities of crude oil thieves to the economic mainstay of the country and treat their act as treasonable offenders.
The governor spoke when he hosted Chief of Air Staff Air Marshall Isiaka Oladayo Amao at Government House, Port Harcourt.
According to him, the activities of oil thieves were not only affecting the economy but also degrading the environment, especially at the rural areas in the state.
He said: “You know this bunkering cannot stop; let’s be serious about it, everybody is involved. The military is involved. Police is involved. The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) is involved. If not, there is no way bunkering can continue. It’s a terrible thing.
“I don’t know, whether we should take the issue of bunkering to even be more serious than treason. If you go around and see what has happened to our environment, you’ll have pity on us.”
Wike also wanted members of the military taskforce deployed to arrest the illegal oil dealers to find a better and environmentally friendly way to destroying bunkering sites in the state.
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He said when they blew-up the sites, they increased soot in the atmosphere that had become another grave environmental concern to the people.
The governor said: “If there is another civilised way to go about it, so that while you’re doing the right thing, let us not die. You should find another way to reduce this soot. Unfortunately, we have no helper. On the other hand, we continuing praying to God to touch the minds of these bunkers.”
Commenting on the war against insurgency, Wike commended the military for the success that they had achieved in reducing the level of carnage Boko Haram and bandits had caused in parts of the country.
He, however, noted that greater success could be achieved by deploying more military strategies, which he said, was better than media publicity.
“Let me also thank you for what you are doing about the insurgency fight in the country,” he said, adding “I do believe that strategy is very key in the fight against insurgency. It is not publicity.
“When you’re winning a war, the people will feel it. When people are secured, you don’t need to go to television to tell them that they’re secured. They’ll know from the environment that there are a lot of changes going on and that is the way Nigerians believe that, yes, we are winning the war against insurgency.”
Wike pointed out that the prevailing peace in Rivers state was achieved because of the existing cooperation between all the heads of security with the state government.
According to him, Rivers people are comfortable and feel safe in their communities, and they can go about their normal business without the undue molestation from outlaws.
He assured the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) of continuing the existing cordial relationship between it and the state government that started from the administration of former governor Dr. Peter Odili.
The governor also urged the NAF to deploy the two armoured helicopters donated to them by the Rivers State Government to the state, in order to improve surveillance in the fight against criminality.
Air Marshall Isiaka Oladayo Amao said he was on an operational visit to 115 Special Operation Group in Rivers State and decided to pay courtesy visit to the governor for contributed immensely to the functioning of their base in Port Harcourt.
CAS Amao commended the governor for the good work he had continued to do in Rivers in terms of provision of infrastructure.
He said: “We commend you for being able to contain the security situation in the state. Rivers State has been a very peaceful state. That is why, most at times, I and the Service chiefs have to focus on other places with much problems.
“The governor is able to achieve this state of peace because, and from the brief I got from my officer, he has been a very good coordinator and also assisted the security agencies in the discharge of their duties.”
The CAS also thanked the governor for the financial support that was given to families of officers that died in the line of duty in the state.
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