In Ogoni land in Rivers State of Nigeria, 813 youths involved in illegal crude oil bunkery has promised to stay away from oil installations and have surrendered implements they used in their illegal refineries business of distilling crude oil. The surrendered is sequel to the first arrest of 250 youths by the task force on eradicating illegal bunkery in the Ogoni areas, set up by Governor Chibuike Amaechi.

The task force made up of Ogoni people is to rid the area of such activities to make real and effective the task of the Federal Government committee saddled with the responsibility of remediation of the highly impacted Ogoni area. But the high bunkery activities of Ogoni youths had frustrated the work and the committee headed by Reverend Father Matthew Kukah had complained to the governor and he had acted.

The youths surrendered gas cookers, metallic drums, pipe cutting machines, fire woods, and other sundry implements said they have decided to work with the task force to ensure healthy environment practice. But they are asking the government to provide them with meaningful employment that will occupy their time and keep the away from the ‘business’. They said the business was their only livelihood.
The youths said about 200 litres of crude oil is put into the drum and allowed to boil of the fire heat for hours and gradually they begin to separate the Kerosene from the petrol and diesel.

Chairman of the task force Mr. Ejor Egofaa said they are happy that the youths who had been misdirected in the past are waking up to reality and the native impact their activities was having on the environment, oil business and the people. He noted the ingenuity of the youths in exhibiting creative skill in local but illegal crude oil refining in a pseudo refinery they build for themselves.

Mr. Egofa said he was determined to talk with the state government on their skills of the youths and see how they could be well directed into gainful venture. He said if most of the youths were illiterates and yet can engage in what is considered to be highly technical then the state government can gain from their skill by assembling and engaging them meaningfully.