The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) Kano/Jigawa operations, has sealed three filling stations in Jigawa for over-pricing, hoarding and outright diversion of the product.
The DPR team leader Kano/Jigawa operations, Paul Jehzi, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Kano on Sunday shortly after the clampdown.
He said that one of the affected stations, Garba Mohammed investment Oil Company Ltd in Shuwarin area, was found to have diverted 130, 000 litres of fuel which warranted out right sealing of the premises.
“We discovered that this station had diverted two trucks of petroleum products of 40,000 litres each.
“On coming again we discovered that another 50, 000 litres given to the company just yesterday (Saturday) has not been discharged.
As it is 130, 000 litres have not been delivered, that means it has been diverted. That is why we had to seal the station and fine them appropriately,” he said
He said that Jahun Petroleum Nigeria Ltd was also found to be selling at N180 per litre with a stock of over 25, 900 liters and was automatically closed down.
He added that Tazara Petroleum Ltd around Jahun Round About was also found to have a stock of 11,300 litres but was not selling at all, as such it was promptly sealed.
Mr. Jehzi said, “At NNPC filling station, Olusegun Obasanjo Way Dutse, the state capital, the team had to order the sale of 2,000 out of the 3,000 liters reserve of PMS to the public. The fuel was said to have been reserved for government officials.”
He said the team had also ensured instant sale of thousands of litres of fuel to the public at the official price, especially filling stations suspected to be selling above N145 per liter but usually revert to the official price on citing the DPR surveillance team or based on a tip off from their Informants.
“The clamp down exercise by the DPR which was a carried out in collaboration with the Department of States Security Service,will continue until when the filling stations complied with the order, “ he said.
The team leader said the DSS operatives had been dispatched to filling stations suspected to be selling above the approved price of N145 per litre to ensure the sale of the product at the normal rate.
“We give out contact numbers to buyers of PMS at filling stations to quickly call us and security operatives as soon as they notice change in price and the new strategy is really working and helping a lot, ” Jhezi said.
He, however, lamented the shortage of staff in Kano/Jigawa DPR office, saying that the downstream regulator has only 21 staff including drivers to cover the 71 LGAs in the two states.
