The Department of Petroleum Resources clashed with the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on Friday as the fuel shortage continues to worsen throughout the nation.
The battle occurred after the Kwara State Operations Controller, DPR, Mr. Salvation Phillip, and his staff sealed some petrol submitting stations belonging to IPMAN members for allegedly defying the DPR’s directives.
The sealed filling stations had been alleged to have been unsealed illegally by the IPMAN members.
In an interview with journalists, Phillip mentioned that self-discipline and compliance with the Federal Government’s directives and petroleum legal guidelines by operators had been important for the expansion of the sector.
He decried the motion of IPMAN members who allegedly opened the petrol stations, including that it was flawed for them to have taken legal guidelines into their fingers.
Phillip reiterated the DPR’s dedication to implementing authorities’ directives and legal guidelines for the petroleum business. He added that the DPR wouldn’t abdicate its tasks.
He mentioned, “The price the government approved for selling petrol must be adhered to. We are to ensure that the price is adhered to and that the public gets the product.
“The unsealing of the petrol stations is a security issue and law enforcement agencies are with us. They have seen what has transpired.”
Phillip led a DPR enforcement staff to monitor petrol sales and ensure adherence to the federal authorities’ permitted value of N85.50 per litre for unbiased entrepreneurs.
The DPR staff was returning after sealing the Great Pacific Nigeria Limited filling station alongside the Ajase-Ipo Road in Ilorin for allegedly hoarding about 9,500 litres of petrol when an IPMAN-branded bus conveying the affiliation’s officers and members led by the factional chairman, Mr. Olanrewaju Okanlawom, trailed the DPR staff.
As Phillip and his staff continued monitoring at another petrol station alongside Ajase-Ipo, named Joy By Joy Investment Nigeria Limited, the IPMAN staff also got there.
Okanlawon and Phillip argued that even among safety operatives who supplied safety for the DPR staff.
Angered by the altercation, the DPR boss ordered that the petrol station be sealed.
Shortly after the DPR officers sealed the petrol station, the visibly angered IPMAN members opened it. They had been mentioned as boasting that they might unseal any petrol station sealed by the DPR.
