– To investigate DPO over alleged owning of artisanal refinery
Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Police in Rivers State has denied that its personnel prevented the Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Mr. George Ariolu, from destroying an illegal refinery operated by oil thieves.
This is as the Chairman, George Ariolu, in company of policemen had visited the NSCDC marine exhibits yard in Ogbogoro community recently, which led to an altercation between police officers attached to the Chairman and personnel of NSCDC.
The Chairman had alleged that NSCDC was using the yard for illegal oil bunkering activities, while it was also reported in some section of the media that some policemen prevented the destruction of the site.
But in a swift reaction, the Police Public Relations Officer in Rivers State, DSP Grace Iringe-Koko, who described the reports as misleading, confirmed that policemen in company with the local government chairman visited the yard.
Iringe-Koko who affirmed the commitment of the Command to fighting the war against oil bunkering to a logical conclusion as it stands hand in gloves with the state government, urged newsmen to always verify their stories before going to the press.
“To put the records straight, Obio-Akpor Chairman, George Ariolu, actually went to petroleum depot at Ogbogoro with a detachment of policemen led by ACP Akika Solomon lastweek.
“On arrival they met about 20 armed personnel of NSCDC who were violently opposed to the inspection of the depot. In the ensuing altercation, two of the NSCDC officials corked their rifles against the Police. The former was eventually disarmed and arrested, and the Chairman had ingress.”
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Command has set up an investigative panel to probe the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Rumuji in Emohua LGA, for allegedly owning an illegal oil refining site, as alleged by Governor Nyesom Wike.
Rivers Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Grace Iringe-Koko, announced that the said DPO has been redeployed as a panel headed by the Assistant commissioner of Police has been inaugurated to investigate him.
Koko assured that the outcome of the investigations would be made public, and the officer punished appropriately if the allegations are confirmed.
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