The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) North-East zonal
operations Comptroller, Alhaji Ibrahim Ciroma; has warned independent
and major marketers against hoarding and diversion of petroleum
products during COVID-19 crises.
Although, the global deadly virus, has not hit Borno and Yobe states,
some filling stations were not dispensing fuel since Tuesday’s closure
of borders in two states.
While unfolding measures on Thursday at a news conference in
Maiduguri, he said there was no basis for marketers to hoard petroleum
products, as the DPR received 52 trucks of fuel this week.
“We’re everywhere in Maiduguri and Damaturu metropolis, to meet
motorists’ demand for fuel. “Today (Thursday) we are expecting 10
trucks of fuel from Gombe.” he said, noting that DPR found most
filling stations not selling fuel, since the lock down of Borno and
Yobe states by Governors Babagana Zulum and Mai Mala Buni.
He said with this development; it may compound COVID-19 health crises,
but DPR has devised means of checking fuel hoarding and diversions.
Speaking on adopted measures, Ciroma said: “We deploy our personnel to
monitor all filling stations in the evenings, while selling fuel at
official price of N125 a litre.
“We also put the fuel marketers on close monitoring, so that they
comply with official pump price and correct levels of dispensing
fuel,” warning that if anyone is caught no one be spared.
He urged the people to report all cases of hoarding and diversion by
calling the zonal DPR on: 08056497084, 0805647095 and 08056497092.
While commenting on revocation of C of O of four oil marketers, he
said: “We’ve already opened a corridor of communication with Governor
Zulum on resolving the public sale of fuel last Tuesday by the
Governor.
He noted that if the people failed to report, fuel marketers could
continue selling fuel above official pump price with under dispensing
of products.
