Agency arrests 9 marketers for selling petrol after stations were sealed

Nine marketers selling petrol from dispensing pumps sealed by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) for irregularities, have been arrested in Akwa Ibom.

Mr Bassey Nkanga, DPR Operations Controller in charge of Akwa Ibom and Cross River, made the announcement on Monday in Eket in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He said that personnel from the department field office in Eket operating with a team of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), arrested the marketers.

He said that each of the nine marketers would pay N1 million fine for violating government seal.

“There are some filling stations we sealed for selling above government approved pump price of N145 per litre.

“The operators went ahead and sold petrol from pump sealed by DPR and they were caught.

“Nine of them were caught in the act while selling with the seals; they were arrested and detained,’’ he said.

The Operations Controller advised marketers to carry out their business legitimately within the laws governing their operations.

He warned marketers not to sell petrol above government approved pump price of N145 per litre.

He said that owners of private depots should not sell the product above government depot price of N133. 28k per litre.

In a related development, Nkanga has disclosed that three filling stations in Akwa Ibom have been sealed for diversion of kerosene meant for sale in the state.

“They are kerosene from Port Harcourt approved for sale in Akwa Ibom.

“We are still looking for the product because they were not delivered in the state,” he said.

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“We will not sleep; we will make sure that adulterated kerosene business is completely eradicated in the state,” Nkanga vowed.

Nkanga assured that the department was determined to stop adulteration of petroleum products and products diversion in its area of operation.