A delegation from the SPDC visited Samuel Nwanosike, the executive chairman of the Ikwere Local Government Area, after learning of the disturbing development in an effort to find a long-term solution to the oil thieves' operations.
Nwanosike requested SPDC to cut off all unauthorised lines built in Isiokpo by oil thieves and establish military checkpoints at the locations to put an end to the continuous illegal bunkering in the region. The message was signed by Nwanosike's Chief Press Secretary, Chris Omodu.
The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency and the Rivers State Ministry of the Environment accompanied the SPDC mission (NOSDRA).
"As far as we are concerned, your visit will signify well for us as a people," Nwanosike remarked in response to the delegation. "If after your visit you shut down the mainline and cut off all those illicit lines tied to your mainline and build military checkpoint in that area.
Once you do so, the community and the SPDC will benefit equally since you will lose money from the crude that they are stealing and the community's annoyance at the destruction of their environment as a result of the activity will decrease.
With the assistance of the military, the police, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nwanosike said that his administration had taken certain measures, including dismantling the illicit refineries that had previously been locally constructed (NSCDC).
He claimed that while the council made sure that unlawful activity was stopped in its tracks, the oil thieves made the decision to attach their pipes to pipelines in order to transport the crude oil to other locations.
When he and his colleagues reached the location of the illicit refineries that had been abandoned, he stated that there was an inferno there.
"Luck ran out on them when we learned they were nearby, and we tried to visit them at that moment in that place," he added. "So, crude was just flowing into the river, pouring into the town, and all of a sudden flames just popped up," they said as they hastily left the area and turned around. Therefore, the entire Ogbodo Community would have been destroyed if the fire that started there hadn't been put out.
Wobutam Chimezie, speaking on behalf of SPDC, stated that the group was in the council to follow-up on the evaluation of the unlawful bunkering site.
The NOSDRA employee and government regulator Mr. Alexander Igwegbu praised Nwanosike for his efforts in stopping illegal bunkering in his council and asked other chairman to follow in his footsteps.