– Uncovers storage point at Onne Port Authority (NPA).
What can be described as the largest illegal artisanal refining site popularly known as kpo-fire has been discovered by the Executive Chairman of Eleme Local Government Area Chief Hon. Obarilomate Ollor JP.
With over 6 boiling points and more, this illegal refining site is located in the forest of Egbalor, called Akpa-Chara, in 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 soots ravaging Rivers State and its environs, this illegal site has been described as an epicentre of illegal bunkering activities.
Spearheading the enforcement team was the Executive Chairman of Eleme LGA who led Youths from the community into the forest in the company of security personnel to enforce the directives of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Rivers State Chief Barr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike regarding the ban on all illegal bunkering activities in Rivers State.
Chief Ollor who decried the high level of damage done on the multitude of arable land by the criminally insane group, called on the Federal and State Governments respectively 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 Egbalor Mangrove and the level of sabotage done to the nation’s economy said such a venture could not have been effectively undertaken if it wasn’t an organized crime involving the security and the people Otherwise how would it be possible to move such products when refined from this distant location to their end user. He pleaded with Government at the State and Federal levels to see his plea as an SOS call because the activities of these 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 particle resulting from the illegal and unbecoming act.
Things became more interesting when the Executive Chairman and his team invaded some organized 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 FOT Onne.
Chief Ollor further seized the medium to thank Governor Wike for declaring war against illegal mining and artisanal refining in the State, an avenue he said revealed so much illegality and criminality that is bedevilling and threatening the well-being of the people.
He assured the Governor that he would carry out the assignment to the letter 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 bunkers from resettling and continuing the unacceptable business.
Office of the Chief Press Secretary
Eleme LGA Council.
January 17, 2022
