Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has raised concerns over a disturbing new tactic in oil bunkering, where children and women are reportedly being used as human shields at illegal refining sites,Daily Trust reports.
Speaking on Tuesday during a meeting with first-class traditional rulers and local government chairmen at the Government House in Yenagoa, Governor Diri disclosed that security operatives discovered this alarming practice during reconnaissance missions.
He called on traditional rulers to educate their communities about the health and environmental hazards of illegal oil activities. “Recent reports reveal that children and women are now being used at illegal bunkering sites, a development I had never encountered before,” the governor said.
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“Military personnel authorized to dismantle these camps have found themselves in situations where children and women are present, forcing them to withdraw. This calls for collective action to educate our people and address this issue.”
Governor Diri urged traditional rulers and council chairmen to take decisive steps to combat the menace, which has been reported in Southern Ijaw, Ekeremor, Brass, and Nembe local government areas. He also encouraged monarchs to report oil bunkering activities in their territories, emphasizing the need for a collaborative approach to tackle the problem effectively.
