By Despite the ban on illegal bunkering activities in Rivers State, an artisanal refining site popularly known as kpo-fire has been discovered in Eleme Local Government Area of the state.
According to a statement from his Chief Press Secretary, the illegal site was discovered by the Executive Chairman of Eleme LGA, Hon. Obarilomate Ollor, on Monday.
It is located in the forest of Egbalor, called Akpa-Chara, in Ebubu clan, Eleme LGA, about 200 kilometers away from the community, covering vast hecters of devastated land and water body.
Described as the epicentre of illegal bunkering activities in the State, the site is said to be responsible for part of the climatic hazard and soots ravaging Rivers State and its environs.
The Executive Chairman led youths from the community into the forest in company of security personnel to enforce the ban on all illegal bunkering activities in Rivers State as directed by the governor, Nyesom Wike.
Decrying the high level of damage done on the multitude of arable land by the criminally insane group, Ollor called on the Federal and State Governments respectively to swing into action in a bid to immediately correct the errors by providing reparation for the damaged land.
He also expressed shock with what he saw at the Egbalor Mangrove and the level of sabotage done to the nation’s economy, saying such a venture could not have been effectively undertaken if it wasn’t an organized crime involving the security and some residents.
The council boss further pleaded with the government at the State and Federal levels to intervene, noting that the activities of illegal bunkers have done a great deal of damage to the people of Eleme whose life expectancy has been threatened by the soot particles resulting from the illegal and unbecoming act.
Other storage points discovered were destroyed to prevent the bunkers from resettling and continuing the unacceptable business.
