Wike vows to destroy illegal refineries in Rivers

The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday vowed to ensure the destruction of all illegal oil refineries in the state.

Wike stated this during a meeting with the chairmen of the 23 local government areas of the state, the State Commissioner of Police, and the Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) at the Government House, Port Harcourt.

The governor also directed the local council chairmen to eliminate oil bunkering in their domains.

He said: “I will not relent in this fight. And all of you should hire bulldozers. All those areas where the illegal refinery sites are in the bush, in the creek, clear the place. The government will give you some money to go and hire bulldozers to go and clear the sites so that they will know we are serious.

READ ALSO: Gov Wike goes after operators of illegal refineries

“One thing I want to say and which is very clear, and like everybody knows, I am not against anybody making money. But, we cannot allow people to make money, while others are dying.

“You know in Nigeria, we don’t believe that anything can happen. We don’t take the government seriously. But, in our own case, they have no choice, they’ll take us seriously.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now