Governor Wike Accuses Nigerian Army Of Running Oil Bunkering Syndicate

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state has accused the Nigerian Army of running an illegal bunkering syndicate in Rivers State. 

The governor accused Jamil Sarham, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) the Army’s 6 Division in Port Harcourt of raising a team of soldiers to steal and sell petroleum products in the region. 

Wike said Sarham, a major-general, regularly divulges confidential security briefings to criminals, and the military leadership’s reluctance in removing him was deliberate.

“We would have security meeting, he will release it to criminals,” Wike said while receiving a team of military personnel from ‘Operation Delta Safe’.

“The GOC has his own team now doing oil bunkering for him because he wants to be chief of army staff.

 “If you give that kind of person chief of army staff, what kind of security would we have in this country?

“He cannot be removed here because they know the role he is playing for them: sabotaging our security architecture.”

Wike said he has been leading security efforts to “reduce crime to the barest minimum,” in Rivers, which ranks amongst Nigeria’s most volatile states but alleged that the army constitutes an obstacle for success.