Nyesom Wike, Rivers State governor, has issued a standing order to security agencies to take into custody the owner of a filling station, Mega Tools Limited, alleging that the station was involved in illegal oil bunkering in Port Harcourt.
He stated that government will pursue the prosecution of the owner of the filling station to demonstrate its determination to reduce illegal oil bunkering activities in the State to the barest minimum.
Wike disclosed this at the flag-off of the construction of internal roads in Omagwa, which was performed by former governor of Plateau State, Senator Jonah Jang at the weekend.
In keeping with the fight against illegal oil bunkering, Governor Wike said the filling station was sealed two-day ago and he has ordered the security agencies to identify the owner and arrest him for prosecution.
“If I hear of any filling station involved in oil bunkering, I will close that filling station. Therefore, I have directed the security agencies to identify who has that filling station in Diobu, arrest that person and we are going to prosecute the person. It doesn’t matter how highly placed that person is.
“Some of you should be used to teach a lesson. We cannot allow oil bunkering. We will reduce it to the barest minimum. So, I have ordered the security agencies to identify who owns that filling station that was sealed up two days ago and arrest the owner. Let him tell us why he is involved in oil bunkering.”
“If I hear anybody holding meeting, whether in the restaurant, whether in the hotel and I find out that cultists are there, we will invade that place. I will not give anybody breathing space to organise yourselves to attack. I will not agree.”
Performing the flag-off, former governor of Plateau State, Senator Jonah Jang, who lamented the mismanagement of the national economy, said even in the twilight of his administration, governor Wike has continued to keep faith with Rivers people by commissioning and flagging off new projects.
“At this point, in our nationhood, Nigeria is down with inflation that rates over 18% . Foreign reserves are dwindling by the day, and external debts are at high time. We have no infrastructure to show for it.
“No commensurate economic growth. But here we are, On the 20th day of August 2022, in the Peoples Democratic Party administration in River State, celebrating good governance in the twilight of his (Wike) this administration.”