Fubara Charges Army Chief To Tackle Oil Theft

The Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has tasked the Chief of Army Staff Taoreed Lagbaja to fight crude oil theft and illegal refining of petroleum products in the state.

He spoke when the Chief of Army Staff visited him at the Government House in Port Harcourt to pledge the Army’s readiness to respond to emergencies and security threats.

“Let me also draw the attention of the Armed Forces to one special problem we are having here: the issue of bunkering. In some parts of our states – the Ahoada East and Ogba-Egbema – most of the bunkering activities there, we believe – I won’t say sponsored – but there is this cooperation between the Army and some high top oil companies,” he said Friday.

Governor Fubara claimed that some of the military men working for the unnamed companies are also obstructing contractors from executing a road project in a possible area of their illegal business in Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni.

“Each time we approach the company, ‘Please, why don’t you allow us to go ahead with our job?’ The military will always come and attack our contractors,” the governor added.

“I tried to resolve the matter but I know it is not a directive from the Army Headquarters nor is it from the 6 Division. It might be a relationship between the company and the officers attached to that place. So, please, I want to appeal that you should look into that matter.”