Chris Awhawha
The Executive Chairman of Warri North Local Government Council, Hon Festus Ashima has charged security agents to quickly identify and arrest persons who attacked the Chevron pipeline in Warri North Local Government Area, Delta State.
Ashima gave the directive on Tuesday, when he visited DIBI Flowstation operated by Chevron Nigeria Limited(CNL) .
The Chairman also inspected the attacked Chevron pipeline to see for himself the extent of damage caused by the criminal acts of the attackers.
Ashima was accompanied by personnel of the Nigerian Army, Department of State Service, Nigeria Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), top Community executives and local government officials.
The Chairman and envoy were received by a team of production officers at the Flowstation.
A senior Chevron’s production officer who spoke in confidence directed the Chairman to appropriate quarters authorized to speak on the issue.
The Chevron official said the impact was huge which eventually led to halting operations at other oil fields such as Olero,Abiteye and Opuekeba
Ashima demanded collaboration between security agents and community leaders to uncover and arrest the perpetrators of the barbaric act to face the law.
” The perpetrators must be used as an example to other criminals who may wish to imitate or venture into this ugly action”
The community leaders called for the arrest of persons behind the pipeline attack, describing the incident as totally strange to the Itsekiri nation.
They said, ” Violence was not one of the strategies used in settling disagreements. The action taken by the youths was purely criminal by every measure”
Security agents aligned with the decision and directive of the Council Chairman and community leaders that efforts would be made to get the culprits arrested and prosecuted in due course.