Sharp practices: DPR seals 73 filling stations in Oyo, Osun, Plateau

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), on Thursday, sealed 73 filling stations in Oyo, Osun and Plateau states over allegation of sharp practices.
The Ibadan, Oyo State Field Office expanded its regulatory exercise by sealing off 50 more filling stations across Oyo and Osun states for notoriety and non compliance with selling petroleum products at government approved prices.
Among the filling stations shut, with some operators arrested were two filling stations in Ogbomoso allegedly owned by a prominent Nigerian.
When the team got to the Ogbomosho-Ilorin outlet, some sales attendants were caught selling petrol at N100/ltr and kerosene at N97/ltr.
The station manager tried to persuade the regulatory team to change their minds, but they did not.
Engineer Olakunle Ogunlana, Oyo and Osun states field controller who addressed journalists through Mr. Sadiq Ibrahim, Deputy Manager (Operations), said the DPR will not fold its hand and watch economic saboteurs ruin government efforts.
Ibrahim said: “All we are just doing is to ensure people do what is right. Operators and fuel marketers must operate according to government stipulated directives”.
Among other filling stations sealed off in Osun State was the Alesh Raheem Oil filling station at Isare, Ilesa.
It was re-sealed off by the combined team of men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Osun State Command, having been sealed off a day earlier only to discover that the DPR seals were broken off.
The DPR in Plateau State also sealed 23 petrol stations for various offences in the North-Central state.
The petrol stations were sealed on Thursday when officials of the department monitored the operations of petrol stations.
The Operations Controller of the Department in the state, Mr Caesar Douglas, said the exercise was part of their statutory functions to ensure that Nigerians get petroleum products at government approved price.
He explained that the offences the stations committed included diversion of products, selling above the official price, hoarding and illegal operation.
”Today’s exercise is part of our statutory function that government employed us to do; it is our job to ensure that Nigerians get petroleum products at government approved price.
”We are also to monitor the distribution and sales of the products, and so, what we have done today was an attempt to ensure that we do not experience scarcity.
”In this operations, we have succeeded in sealing 23 petrol stations across Plateau.
”Eleven of them were sanctioned for selling against government price of N87 per litre, seven were sealed for operating illegally, four for diversion and one for hoarding the product,” he said.
The Controller explained that those caught hoarding the products would pay a fine of N2 million, in addition to closing the station for two months while the owner would be prosecuted.
He added that those sanctioned for selling above government approved price shall pay a fine N100, 000 and the station closed for two months.
”As for those we caught operating without licence, we have sealed their stations and given them two weeks to come and regularise the process, hence if we get them operating, they will face the full wrath of the law,” he added.
Douglas urged motorists in Plateau to desist from patronising illegal petrol stations and report any station selling above government approved price to DPR.
He assured that the DPR would ensure that the stations sealed remained as such and if found operating without regularising their operation would face stiffer measures.