*Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State of Nigeria directs the Local Government Council Chairmen and community leaders to locate, identify individuals and groups behind all illegal bunkering and crude oil-refining sites in their localities, and report to his office for further action

Alexander Davis | 绿帽献妻

Amid the surging menace of soot pollution and its attendant damaging effects on the health of consumers, the Rivers State Government has ordered the immediate shutdown of the illegal crude oil-refining sites in the state in the Niger Delat region of the country.

绿帽献妻 reports Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State handed down the directive Saturday, January 1, 2022, in his New Year message, which his Sposksman Kelvin Ebiri issued in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

An illegal crude oil-refining site in the Niger Delta

Governor Wike directed the Local Government Council Chairmen and community leaders to report those behind illegal bunkering and crude oil-refining sites in their localities to his office for prosecution.

The governor also stated that the measure has become imperative in view of the need to 聽contain the growing menace of soot pollution, which has continued to endanger public health in the South-South state.

Wike said: 鈥淪ince the Federal security agencies have largely refused to stop the illegal crude oil refining activities in the state, we have no option than to take necessary measures to tackle this particular and direct challenge to our collective health and survival by ourselves.

鈥淐onsequently, I have directed the chairman of Port Harcourt city local government council to go after all the illegal crude oil refining sites along Creek road and adjourning areas of the city and shut them down with immediate effect.鈥�

The statement also noted: 鈥淔urthermore, all local government chairmen are directed to work with community leaders to locate and identify those behind all illegal bunkering and crude oil refining sites in their localities and report to my office for further action.鈥�