Yemisi Izuora
Officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation (NNPC) and the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), led by the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru, has heightened the tempo of unscheduled visits to fuel stations across the Federal Capital Territory suspected to be involved in underhand dealings.
The raid which was facilitated by the operatives of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) led to the clampdown of a notorious fuel outlet in the Kubwa District of the FCT caught selling petrol at the rate of N250 per litre, a price well above the approved retail price of N145/litre.
The NNPC GMD promptly ordered an on-the-spot dispensing of the remaining product in the storage tank free to motorists in conformity with extant sanction for such misdemeanour .
Addressing journalists after the exercise, Dr. Baru noted that in line with its mandate as supplier of last resort, the NNPC would continue to work with relevant stakeholders like the DPR and Civil Defence Corps to bring to a quick end the prevailing hardship in accessing petrol across the country.
The GMD enthused that with the recent directive by the Presidency for the security agencies to tighten the noose on smuggling of petroleum products, the issues of cross-border activities and diversion of products would be curtailed, thus allowing Nigerians to benefit from the massive injection of fuel into the system being undertaken by the corporation within the last few weeks.
In a related development, the NNPC has announced the temporary suspension of products dispensing activities at its mega station along Lagos Road, in Port Harcourt due to a fire incident which occurred near the station.
The fire resulted from a Toyota Camry car which exploded outside the station after product was dispensed into an extra in-built locally fabricated tank designed to siphoned fuel.
Though the fire did not affect the station, the corporation noted that it was imperative to suspend operations to enable security agencies clear the resultant traffic situation at the scene.