The Federal Government has debunked reports making rounds in some online platforms and the social media, that the Ministry of Petroleum Resources has directed the NNPCL to sell petrol at N1,000 above the approved pump price.
Nnemaka Okafor, the Special Adviser, Media and Communication to the Minister of Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, described the reports as “blatantly false and malicious.”
While calling anyone with evidence to prove that the minister actually made such statements to come forward with it, the public has been urged to always verify any information from verified official channels of communication.
The statement reads: “The Federal Government is compelled to address the outright falsehoods currently being circulated on social media, which claim that the Honourable Minister of state Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, has directed the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to inflate petroleum prices to one thousand Naira (N1000) above the approved pump price.
“We categorically condemn these claims as baseless, malicious, and a deliberate attempt to incite public discontent.
“We challenge anyone in possession of any evidence – be it written documents, audio, or video recordings – that supports these fabrications to make it public. Such a claim is entirely devoid of truth and should be recognised as an intentional effort to mislead the public.
“It must be stressed that NNPCL operates as an independent entity under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), with a fully empowered Board of Directors. The Ministry of Petroleum Resources does not, and will not, interfere in the internal decisions of NNPCL, including pricing matters. Any suggestion otherwise is not only incorrect but also reveals a profound misunderstanding of the deregulated nature of Nigeria’s petroleum sector.
“The public is hereby strongly advised to dismiss these malicious rumours. The Honourable Minister cannot, and does not, direct NNPCL or any other entity within the sector to manipulate prices. Any claim to the contrary is nothing more than an ill- conceived attempt to sow discord and confusion.
“We urge all Nigerians to remain vigilant and rely solely on information from verified and official channels”.
