Mkpoikana Udoma
12 June 2016, Sweetcrude, Port Harcourt –Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, has blamed the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NAOC, over the cult-related killings rocking communities in the state.
Wike made the allegation when he received the High Commissioner of United Kingdom to Nigeria, Mr. Paul Arkwright, at the Government House in Port Harcourt, particularly citing cult issues in Ikwerre, Emohua, Ahoada and other local government areas of the state.
He alleged that NAOC was responsible for empowering the cult groups as it engages them to secure its pipelines instead of working with security agencies
According to the governor, such patronage has led to supremacy conflicts between rival cult groups.
The governor, at another occasion, while receiving the Ogba/Ndoni/Egbema Local Area Youths Consultative Council, OYCC, at the government house, threatened to revoke the company’s certificate of occupancy over the issue.
According to him, the certificate of occupancy will be revoked “should Agip continue to act against the security of the state”.
