Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers has urged the military to join his government in the fight against operators of illegal crude oil refineries in the state.

Mr Wike who received the Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor, on Friday at the Government House, Port Harcourt, said the activities were destroying the state and national economies.

“You and I know that one product we have today that has kept this country going is oil and gas, which I will say is the main source of our revenue in this country today,” the governor stated.

“I will do anything within my powers to see that it is put to stop. I owe it as a duty, first by making sure that the government is not losing revenue.

“Whenever we lose national revenue, it trickles down. It affects us at the state and local government levels and that is the revenue aspect of it,” Mr Wike added.

The governor said his administration was ready to give the security agencies necessary support as they joined the state to fight the menace. 

In his response, Mr Irabor said that he was in Port Harcourt as part of the tour of military formations in the Niger Delta to assess security strategies and motivate officers for greater efficiency.

He expressed delight over the audacity shown by the governor in championing the fight against illegal crude oil refinery activities that have been a great threat to the oil and gas industry.

He said the military had long desired such a government-focused strategy towards the security of oil and gas assets and hoped that other governors would emulate Wike.

(NAN)