Governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike, has promised council chairmen in the state N2 million for every illegal refinery uncovered in their area.
The governor had earlier declared 19 individuals wanted for operating illegal crude oil refining sites which are responsible for the soot menace in the state.
Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Kelvin Ebiri, in a statement made available to the media in Port Harcourt said; “Every council chairman must go and identify where illegal refineries are taking place. If you identify one, you get N2m. So, go and identify as many as you can.
“I will pay N2m for each one. And I am going to fight against this. Our people are dying and we owe our people the responsibility to protect them, to save them from death they never caused.
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“So, you must, and you’re given 48 hours to go and identify all illegal refineries sites, and those who are in charge of them,” Wike stated.
Wike also alleged that a DPO owned an illegal refinery in the state.
He urged the State Police Commissioner, Eboka Friday, to redeploy out of the state a particular DPO in Emohua Local Government Area operating an illegal refinery in the area.
“It’s unfortunate for this country how security people will be involved in illegal bunkering. I can’t believe it. Mr CP, I thank you for transferring the DPO in Rumuji, who owns a refinery. But the man must leave here, not transferred. He must leave this state.
“I can’t be governor here and security man owns an illegal refinery. No, it is not possible…the man has to go. Take him to wherever they allow bunkering,” he stated.
