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From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti has decried the springing up of illegal refineries in the state, warning that operators would face the full wrath of the law.
Governor Otti made the condemnation in Umuahia when he received a delegation of officers of the Joint Task Force Team on the secure of oil and gas operations in 10 states of the South South, South West and South East including Àbia.
The Governor urged the Joint Task Force to intensify efforts in the fight against oil theft and illegal operation of refineries in the state, tasking them to treat operators of such refineries as enemies of the state.
“Those that operate illegal refineries and other activities, those are the enemies of the state and should be treated as such.
“Be they in Aba or in Ukwa or Port Harcourt or Bayelsa or any of the other 10 states where you operate. The long arms of the government must be made to catch up with them.
“For us, we do not support any illegality by anybody in any form. You can take it for granted that we as a government will give you all the support to carry out your operation here”, Otti assured.
Otti equally appealed to the task force to also work to secure the Àbia Innovation and Industrial Park (AIIP) at Owaza in Ukwa West and assured them of the support of the state government in terms of logistics and intelligence sharing to make their assignment easier.
Otti told the team that Àbia state had enjoyed relative peace until the incident at Obikabia junction where five soldiers were brutally assassinated by criminals, but assured that government was working round the clock to unravel the perpetrators as well as bring them to book.
Rear Admiral John Okeke had earlier told the Governor they were in Abia to familiarize with the state as one of their areas of operations in the fight against oil theft and illegal activities within the oil bearing states.
Rear Admiral Okeke who used the opportunity to acquaint the Governor with activities of the task Force, said part of their mandate was to curb illegal activities in the oil and gas sector.
“The Federal Government thought it wise to come up with Joint Taskforce South South Operation Delta Safe with a mandate to protect oil and gas infrastructure and stop militancy, sea robbery, crude oil theft and other forms of militancy that could impact negatively on the economic activities, with emphasis on the oil and gas sector”.
Rear Admiral Okeke assured that they would collaborate with the state government as well as other security agencies in the area of information sharing, adding that they were determined to curb illicit oil activities within their areas of operation.
He solicited for the support of the state government in terms of logistics to enable them to deliver on their mandate.
