By Moses Patience Chat
The Chairman of Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, Mr. Chidi Lloyd, has said that security agencies assigned to protect oil pipeline infrastructure in the state are responsible for the explosion caused by illegal refineries through their alliance with oil thieves.
He stated this at the weekend during his visit to the site of the crude oil pipeline explosion that cost 12 lives, leaving many injured and destroying many properties in the Rumuekpe Community of the Local Government Area.
Lloyd affirmed that majority of the security officers posted to the state are now corrupt and have become illegal dealers in crude oil at the cost of lives and properties that are usually wasted with every explosion that occurs.
The Emohua Council Boss added that the Federal Government also contributes to the frequent explosions by ignoring locals who form the security force meant to protect the pipeline infrastructure in the affected area.
His words: “There are a number of things the local vigilantes, for instance, can tell about the location that the security personnel from Abuja cannot tell. The local government authority is ever ready to help and collaborate with any investigators or panel from the federal government.
“It’s unfortunate that IOCs and security personnel are also involved in this. If they were not involved, tell me how those who scoop this product manage to transport them out of here, considering the number of security checkpoints around here.
“There is an army formation very close to the scene of this fire outbreak. Would they say that they don’t know that criminals are scooping petroleum products here?
“These days, security personnel lobby to be posted to juicy locations in the Niger Delta so that they collaborate with the perpetrators, everybody wants to be posted here to come and collect money.”
“If officials of the oil companies are not involved, how do the criminals know when there is pressure in the pipeline? You can see that there’s a very strong cabal who are benefiting from this; not these ones roasting in the fire here. Top officials of the oil companies release information on when there’s pressure in the pipe.”