Illegal Crude Oil: We’re not aware of Wike’s wanted suspects —Rivers CP

Rivers State Commissioner of Police, CP Friday Eboka, has said that the state police command has not been informed about those Governor Nyesom Wike declared wanted over oil bunkering and illegal refinery activities in the state. 

Governor Wike had last Sunday, in a state broadcast, declared 19 operators of illegal crude oil refining sites wanted for the soot pollution in the state.

Those declared wanted were; Mr. Azubike Amadi, OSPAC Commander, Ogbogoro community and Chairman of Akpor Central OSPAC; Mr. India, of Rumuolumeni community and Chairman of Oil bunkering Association in Akpor kingdom; Mr. Okey who is in charge of Oil bunkering in Rumupareli;  Mr. Anderson, who is in charge of oil bunkering activities in Ogbogoro community; Amadi Gift of Ogbogoro community; Azeruowa of Ogbogoro community; and Kingsley Egbula, also of Ogbogoro community.

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Also declared wanted were; Mr. Kemkom Azubike, Mr. Mezu Wabali, Mr. Chigozi Amadi, Mr. Opurum Owhondah, Mr. Bakasi Obodo ,Mr. Opus, Mr. Galaxi Mas, Mr. Chioma, Mr. Ogondah, Mr. Soldier, Mr. Chefo, and Nkasi.

Wike stressed that his government had resolved to “pragmatically tackle the soot pandemic by destroying and closing down all identified illegal crude oil refining sites and activities in the state”. 

But CP Eboka, while parading 18 suspected illegal oil bunkerers at the command’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, said those declared wanted by Wike were yet to be arrested because the command had not been informed about them.

According to him, the command only heard the news of the wanted persons in the media but is yet to get a comprehensive list of them.

The police boss said his men can only effect their arrest if the governor officially communicates to them, saying that police as a security agency do not act on hearsay.

“Actually I heard over the news that some people have been declared wanted by the state government. We are still expecting to get the list from the state government so we can work on them. We don’t act on what we hear on radio. By the time we get the list we will go after them”, Eboka said.