Tunde Akanbi, Ilorin
The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) on Friday sealed six filling stations in Ilorin, the Kwara State Capital for various offences.
The affected stations are Golden Mother Filling Station, Agbabiaka, Ilorin, Korrect Petroleum, Agbabiaka, Ilorin, Haflum Filling Station, Baboko, Ilorin, Lakeside Filling Station, Lagos Road, Ilorin, NNPC Retail Station, Okoolowo, Ilorin and Alhaji M. Oyetunji Filling Station, Ajase-ipo.
Briefing newsmen at the DPR Office in Ilorin, the Head of Operations, Engineer Oyedele Ibitayo said the stations were found culpable for various infractions ranging from diversion of fuel, overpricing, under dispensing to hoarding of petroleum products.
Engineer Ibitayo admitted that the fuel supply to the State had been low for the past two weeks but insisted that whatever comes in must be properly dispensed by the marketers.
The Head of Operations explained that the state which received thirty-nine trucks of petroleum products daily now receives between twelve and nineteen trucks daily.
He maintained that the erring stations would be made to pay penalties and sign undertaking.
Engineer Ibitayo said the operation would continue to monitor the situation and deal with erring filling stations in the state.
It would be recalled that the Department of Petroleum Resources had leveled a fine of twenty million naira on any erring filling station.
Meanwhile, with two days to Christmas celebration, commuters and motorists in Ilorin were faced with untold hardship as fuel scarcity bites harder.
The development had affected transport fare as few filling stations were dispensing the commodity, while majority of them were under lock and key.
There were long queues in some of the filling stations selling the commodity, especially at BOVAS Adewole and NNPC mega station at Baboko.
