Oil Theft: Rivers Govt Insists on Arresting, Prosecuting Federal Lawmaker

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The Rivers State government, has said no amount of blackmail would stop it from prosecuting the lawmaker representing Port Harcourt Federal Constituency II, Hon. Chinyere Igwe, whose filling station, had been sealed up for alleged illegal oil bunkering.

Chief of Staff to the Rivers State Governor, Chief Emeka Woke, who spoke at the Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI), Permanent Voters Card (PVC) sensitisation and mobilisation rally at  Mogho in Gokana, reaffirmed that the state government would arrest and prosecute owner of any filling station selling petroleum products supplied by artisanal refiners.

Woke insisted that the state government has constitutional obligation to decisively deal with anyone involved in acts inimical to the Nigerian economy. 

“Anybody who allows his business premises to be used for illegal oil bunkering, that premises will be shut down. Whoever, allows his hotel to harbour criminals bent of destabilising the state, we will deal with you according to the law,” he said.

He urged Igwe to submit himself to security agencies for interrogation, but and warned him to desist from misleading the unsuspecting public with spurious claims that he was being politically victimised.

Woke, further took a swipe at Igwe for making derogatory remarks about Governor Nyesom Wike, adding that, but for the governor’s benevolence, the federal lawmaker would have gone into political extinction.

“I listen to Chinyere Igwe yesterday talking about ingratitude. A man who had been retired politically. This is the man who spent only one term in the House of Representatives and came back home. The immediate past governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, chased him out of Port Harcourt and he ran to Abuja. He even contested on the platform of ACN then, and lost woefully.

“When we had mobilised GDI and had strengthened the party (Peoples Democratic Party), we brought him back and those of them whom he said he is speaking for now. None of them were foundation members of GDI. And His Excellency, the governor gave him platform, first as a Commissioner and then to the National Assembly, even though he didn’t win the primary. And today, he is talking about ingratitude,” he said.

The Chief of Staff lauded the people of Gokana, who turned out en-masse for the GDI rally, for their unwavering commitment and support to the Wike’s administration.