Rivers Coalition for Human Rights, RCHR, has called for the immediate deployment of a security crack team to restore normalcy in the Oshiugbokor Community in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State, where residents have become hapless victims of criminals operating in the area.
In a petition to the Director General of the Department of State Service, DSS, by the National Coordinator, Derefaka Green, Ndamzhi Amadi, Assistant Secretary and Hannah Nikade
Programme/Research Officer of the rights group drew the attention to the criminal activities of oil bunkerers, kidnappers and murderers in the community and called for urgent intervention to save the people and the economy of the country.
The petition read, "It is on the strength of this that we wish to draw your attention to the organised criminal activities around the formally Niger Delta Petroleum Resources Limited, NDPR, refinery in Ogbele community in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State, involving intimidation, harassment, torture, bunkering, pipeline vandalism, terrorism, kidnapping" spearheaded by alleged retired superintendent of Police.
"The retired Chief Superintendent of Police has been in the employment of this firm for over 10 years as community liaison manager wherein he superintends the company's relationship with the host communities of Ogbele, Oshiugbokor and Ubumeze. With his influence on the communities, he has been able to gain the company's confidence to see him as their point man to manage the company's relationship with the communities.
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"In doing this, he allegedly co-opted two brothers from Oshiugbokor as fronts to conduct illegal bunkering activities by bringing in tankers at late nights to load crude oil and refined products from the refinery unknown to the management of the firm.
"To consolidate the illegal activities, they engaged the services of a notorious cultist and criminal, who has a gang of over 50 boys armed with dangerous weapons such as AK 47 and other assault rifles and operate a camp at Okporowo community, where they carry out various criminal activities, including assassinations, murder, kidnapping and rape etc."
"The suspected criminal who had allegedly chased away and later killed a paramount ruler of the oil producing community, a former student union government president among other innocent victims, is said to have cornered the royalties due to the community amounting to over N200million to in five years to himself and his criminal gang members to the detriment of the residents.
"We, therefore, wish to appeal to the DG DSS to send a crack team to address this national security issue that is affecting Nigeria's oil revenue by virtue of the illegal bunkering and creating insecurity in Ahoada East LGA through the establishment of a criminal gang with over 50 heavily armed boys who have subjugated the communities under their control," the petition added.
