Lloyd stated this yesterday in a statement signed by his media aide, Bright Jossy Elendu, after he led a combined team of security personnel to discover new illegal petroleum refining sites in Egbeda community in Emohua Council.
According to him, operators of artisanal petroleum refineries can only know when there is pressure in a pipeline with the assistance of key officials of the operating company or the pipeline serving company.
He said: “Petroleum marketers and tanker drivers are promoting illegal oil bunkering activities by engaging in the transportation and distribution of illegally refined petroleum products from the oil thieves.”
He, however, queried why petroleum marketers association and tanker drivers union have not been able to caution their members from lifting criminally refined petroleum products from the illegal artisanal refineries across the State.
Lloyd described silence by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and other multinationals over the ongoing war against illegal oil bunkering activities in Rivers State as a direct indictment on the companies.
He said; “Till now, nothing has been heard of Shell and other multinationals regarding this illegal oil bunkering activities. Does it mean that they are not aware of what has been happening in the state?”
“Since the marching order from the governor to the council chairmen, we have not heard anything from the operators of the pipelines that were being vandalised by these illegal artisanal petroleum refiners, not even a word of commendation to the governor and the council chairmen.”
He added that the war against illegal oil bunkering activities required the total support of the first tier of government, which has the exclusive powers over oil exploration in the country, stressing that the war against illegal oil bunkering and artisanal petroleum refining cannot be won with the present disposition of the Federal Government.
