By Okiemute Okpomor Some Niger Delta Activists have berated the Nigerian Navy Ship, (NNS Delta) over claims to have discovered more than forty illegal refineries in Jones Creek, Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State just as they called on the Federal Government to investigate the activities of the Joint Task Force code named Operation Delta Safe.
The activists who spoke separately at the Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Warri Correspondents’ Chapel decried the persistent operations of illegal oil bunkers even when there is heavy presence of security agencies in the Niger Delta Creeks, they held the view that those involved in the illicit business would not have being successful in their illicit operations if there was no connivance with the military, saying that there is suspected connivance between those involved in the illegal trade and security agents working in the area.
Speaking, Com. Sheriff Mulade,Coordinator, Centre for Peace & Environmental Justice (CEPEJ), regretted that the illegal business was going unhindered under the watchful eyes of the Joint Task Force and other security agencies that dots all the nooks and crannies of the creeks of the Niger Delta, adding that the boats conveying illegally refined products passes the front of house boats of the military stationed to check crimes on water ways.
According to Com. Mulade, “my brother, Jones Creek is under my territory. Kokodiagbe owns Jones Creek as a community. I can authoritatively tell you that as the Chairman of Kokodiagbene Community, security agents owned over 60% of the illegal refineries the Navy pretends to have discovered. I am confidence to say this because there are JTF House Boats in Jones Creek, We have the JTF Boat for NPDC, we have the JTF boat for NECONDE and we have the JTF boat for Jones Creek Flow Station, so if the security agents are everywhere in Jones Creeks, how then can ordinary people operate illegal refineries in the area, there must be connivance between them, government should take a second look at the situation, these security personnel must be feeding fat. Some individuals within the JTF, Navy, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) all are involved in this illegal business.”
Com. Mulade added, “Let me tell you what happened two weeks ago, men who claimed that they are of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC) went on a raid to the area and owners of the illegal facilities allegedly settled them, they collected monies running into millions of naira and left. When the JTF got to know about the incident, they were alleged to very angry, saying /anytime they NSCDC comes to the place again, the illegal refiners should call them (JTF) so that we will deal with them, this is not their territory’.”
While saying say that without the involvement of JTF, no illegal bunkering can thrive in the Niger Delta region in general and Jones Creek in particular, Com. Mulade called on the Federal Government to investigate all the security groups that makes up the outfit, adding, “how come there is regular illegal oil bunkering activities by criminals under the so called watchful eyes of the Joint Task Force, if the war against oil theft will be won in the Niger Delta by the Federal Government, the JTF should be investigated and overhauled.”
He said that some members of the community have become targets of the JTF and even some of their own people involved in the illicit business for daring to fight and speak up against the destruction of the Ecosystem and the entire environment
In his comments, Com. Austin Ozobo, President, Ijaw People Development Initiative (IPDI) berated security agents operating in the region, particularly the Navy for allegedly aiding and abetting the activities of illegal oil bunkering in the Niger Delta region, he noted that it will be difficult to stop illegal oil bunkering in the region, alleging that the illegal business has made most military men working in the area to be super rich.
Com. Ozobo also alleged that the military condemns the illegal business in the public and secretly promotes as well as encourage it, he then charged the military to rise up to the occasion by “going after the sponsors of the illegal business, get them arrested and prosecuted instead of hunting for their errand boys who assist them in the business.”
He also called on the Federal Government to be proactive by investigating as well as move to unravel kingpins behind illegal oil bunkering, adding, ”if the military is serious, they can stop the illegal oil business. They should set up a proper monitoring team to see that they don’t get involved in such illicit activities. That is when they can stop it.”
