Date: 2017-02-09

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has begun clampdown on filling stations in Kwara State allegedly involving in fuel hoarding.

About three petrol stations, all located in Ilorin, the state capital have been sealed for hoarding the product without inexplicable reasons.

The state Operations Controller of the DPR, Mr Salvation Philip, who disclosed this in Ilorin yesterday during a surveillance conducted by the department on the brewing fuel crisis, vowed that no station will be spared in the ongoing operation.

He said the agency was not out to punish any marketer who conduct his business within the ambit of the law and warned that any infraction will attract appropriate sanction.

The DPR boss stated that there was no reason for any dealer to hoard fuel when relevant authorities insisted that it was in the plans to jerk up the pump price of the commodity.

Philip cautioned members of the public against panic buying, pointing out that the supply chain available to the state was enough to go round.

The DPR operations controller, who disclosed that fuel sale had improved in the state, especially Ilorin, said the state took delivery of 27 and 22 trucks of fuel at the weekend respectively.

"Upon the information at our disposal on the fuel situation in Ilorin, our team swung into action. During our surveillance, about three filling stations were caught hoarding fuel in Ilorin and they have been duly sanctioned. We have sealed the stations in line with our mandate of ensuring that all operators within the downstream sub-sector of oil industry comply with all relevant laws guiding the industry.

"We want to use this medium to appeal members of the public to stop panic buying. There is no reason to do that when the product is enough to go round. For the marketers, while we appreciate the challenges they are facing at the moment, we want to advise them not to engage in hoarding or diversion of the product. What (fuel) is coming to the state is adequate to circulate round.

"Since government has not said it will be adjust the current pump price of fuel, we also see no reason for any market under whatever reason to make life difficult for our people by hoarding the product. Once again, no station caught hoarding will be spared in this ongoing operation", DPR Operations Controller said.