Motorists get more free fuel as NNPC, DPR seal stations

Some motorists in Abuja on Wednesday got more free petrol as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) sealed more stations.

The team had sealed the Khalif Civic Centre and Investment Limited at Kubwa, a suburb of Abuja on Tuesday.

”This is an effort of government to continue to identify all those who are a hindrance to the supply of petroleum products.

”Incidentally, this filling station is owned by the same perpetrator of yesterday and to our dismay, not only is he selling to people at N250 per litre, but he’s also under-dispensing at half the volume as testified by one of the motorists.

”DPR confirmed yesterday that he did not have licence and they have handed over the station to civil defence for appropriate action.

”Today, this one has more volume about 15,000 litres so we are dispensing 5 litres to every motorcycle and 20 to every car and this will continue,” Maikanti Baru, NNPC boss, said.

He said there were also vehicles that had refurbished tanks and could take more than 300 litres, thereby depriving other motorists the oportunity to fuel on time and ration available product.

”They go and siphon the tank and come back. The civil defence has arrested several and will continue to do so.

”Those who are in the habit of instaling extra tanks should beware.

”As at noon, we have gotten 110 trucks distributed to Abuja and environs,” he said.

He said about 24 marketers that had diverted products had been apprehended and it would be a continuous exercise.

The Abuja Zonal Operations Controller, DPR, Mr Mohammed Abba, advised that the station should be demolished.

”We have advised the civil defence to apprehend him, they have put that in motion but he is in hiding.

”If you look at this station, it is an illegal station, there is no way we will give licence to a station within a community because it has not satisfied all the requirements.

”Look at the power lines and high tension cables all around.

Moreover, when we spoke yesterday we gave him a concession but I think the owner of this filling station does not need pity from any government.

”The way he situated this, if there is any accident, the amount of lives that would be lost would be massive.

”We advise that instead of giving this fuel free, the station should be demolished, it should not exist at all.

”Under no circumstance should the station be allowed to exist within this community because it is very dangerous.

” We call on development control that its Certificate of Occupancy should be revoked.

Mr Aminu Abdullahi, Assistant Commandant-General, Operations of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps told newsmen appropriate action was being taken against illegal dealers.

”Any body who is dealing illegally is a saboteur and we are going to try him under the Petroleum Distribution and Sabotage Act and if found guilty, will be charged.”

He said outside Abuja, distribution was being monitored and despatches were made to ensure sanity.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reliably gathered that more filling stations were going to be sealed until the situation with fuel queues cleared.