Oil Marketers Applaud Wike For Moving Against Illegal Refineries

Oil marketers, under the aegis of the Association of Tank Farm Oil and Gas Marketers of Nigeria (ATOGMAN), have commended Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike for moving against illegal refineries and oil bunkering.

Wike had issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the 23 local government areas chairmen to provide a list of illegal refineries and their operators within their areas in the ongoing battle to stop the menace of soot.

In addition, he ordered the redeployment of a divisional police officer in charge of Emohua Local Government Area of the state, for operating illegal refineries.

To this end, ATOGMAN’s National President, Lawrence Kanu, in a statement, yesterday, said the decision of Governor Wike would drastically reduce the act as Nigeria was losing N25 billion monthly to illegal oil operators.

Kanu said ATOGMAN would support the governor in any way possible to ensure the insidious act is nipped in the bud.

He, however, called on Nigerians to provide intelligence to security agencies to arrest and prosecute unlicensed operators.

“ATOGMAN hails Governor Wike’s actions and pledged to support the fight against illegal bunkering.

“All hands should be on deck, through community policing to stop the menace. With the recent development, if we can join hands together in the fight against illegal bunkering, it would help Nigeria economically, there will be no need for fuel increase as speculated by the Federal Government in February 2022.”