Firm laments detention of workers by JTF

SEPTEMBER 12, 2013  

The tugboat

AN oil servicing firm, Steve Integrated Technical Services Limited, says the Joint Task Force, codenamed Operation Pulo Shield, arrested and detained 10 members of its staff unjustly.

The Managing Director of the company, Mr. Steve Ayiyi, said the workers were detained over an alleged involvement in illegal oil bunkering in Bodo, Khana Local Government Area.

Speaking with newsmen in Port Harcourt, River State, on Wednesday, Ayiyi explained that although those affected had been released by the JTF, the detention of his workers and seizure of the company’s hired tugboat was not acceptable, especially when it was the firm that alerted JTF to the activities of illegal bunkerers in the area.

He said the company was executing a contract to repair a damaged pipeline when the employees noticed the activities of oil thieves around Bodo, the location of the faulty pipeline.

Ayiyi said the detained workers had reported the matter to the JTF. He added that the activities of the illegal bunkerers later ignited a fire that nearly consumed the workers and the company’s equipment.

He said, “I was surprised the JTF later arrested the workers; the same people who had earlier reported the illegal oil bunkering to the security operatives.

“When the fire incident occurred at Bodo in the night, my workers escaped and rushed towards the JTF houseboat. The JTF were securing the area. The following day, my workers were arrested and taken to Bori Camp.”

On the release of his workers, Ayiyi stated that his firm had been vindicated, adding that his firm’s responsibility was to repair faulty pipelines and not illegal oil bunkering.

He expressed sadness that the workers did not get adequate protection from JTF operatives.

“But we are happy that after investigation, we were vindicated. Apart from the release of the workers, the tugboat, which was seized, was also released by the JTF,” Ayiyi added.

The JTF spokesman in the Niger Delta, Lt. Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, confirmed the release of the 10 oil service workers from detention to PUNCH Metro.

Nwachukwu, however, explained that investigation was still going on to determine the cause of the fire incident.