BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

WARRI: Ugboegungun community in Warri South West local government has decried  activities of  oil thieves in the area,  appealing that security operatives and the federal government should take decisive steps to flush them out. Chairman of the community,

Mr Bawo Oteri who spoke in Warri yesterday said the  illegal bunkering activities were polluting the environment and making life difficult for  residents, adding  that  the oil thieves had almost crippled the economic life of the area. Painting a gloomy picture of the sad situation, he said fisher men were greatly affected as the waters had been severely polluted by the illicit activities.

*Oil Vandals

He  stressed the urgent need for the Delta and federal government to collaborate to rid the community of the ugly development. He said the community was ready to be part of the collaboration  with the government to put a halt to the activities of the oil . Oteri said some residents had been forced by the activities of the illegal bunkerers to abandon their houses, explaining they the oil thieves operated close to their buildings.

“This is very dangerous. So some residents have relocated  from their apartments for fear that the activities of the illegal oil bunkerers could caue a major fire in the area”, he said