Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri has raised concerns over oil thieves using women and children as human shields to protect their illegal activities. Speaking at a meeting in Yenagoa with local government chairmen and traditional rulers, the governor revealed that security operatives uncovered this tactic during reconnaissance missions.
Governor Diri highlighted that these individuals surround their illicit refineries with vulnerable groups to deter military operations. He stressed the need for royal fathers to educate their subjects on the environmental and health hazards posed by illegal oil theft.
“The military discovered children and women at these sites and had to withdraw from operations to avoid casualties,” he explained. Diri urged monarchs and council leaders to take proactive measures to address the issue, which is particularly prevalent in Southern Ijaw, Ekeremor, Brass, and Nembe local government areas.
He also called for collaboration in reporting bunkering sites, emphasizing the state’s commitment to eradicating the menace as part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s zero-tolerance policy on crude oil theft.
