The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Warri Zonal Office on Thursday said it had impounded a truckload of petroleum over alleged diversion of products, just as it sealed 15 petrol stations over offences bordering on under-dispensing, hoarding and receiving diverted products in Delta and environs.
The Assistant Director of Operations, DPR Warri Zonal Office, Mr. Ovadje Obukaroro, who confirmed this, said the truck was impounded at the Nigeria Petroleum Corporation, Aladja retail outlet, Udu Local Government Area of the State.
He said that five filling stations were sealed on Thursday, three shut on Tuesday and seven were also closed on Wednesday, adding that five petroleum marketers were forced to dispense fuel free to the masses for under-dispensing, while three persons were apprehended during the exercise for violating the downstream sector rules.
Obukaroro explained that one of the suspects, Mr. Anthony Edevwie was arrested for illegally removing the DPR’s seal from his dispensing machine, while the other persons were the truck drivers and a manager that received the diverted product.
“The driver of this truck diverted a full load of petroleum products meant for Kwale to the NNPC, Aladja retail outlet. The manager of the retail outlet also received products without a waybill, which is a grievous offence. The other suspect who claimed to be the supervisor in Orogun Brothers Limited illegally removed our seal from his pump. We have handed them over to the police for prosecution,” he said.
According to Obukaroro, some of the affected petrol stations compelled to dispense free fuel were: Cornoil, Ovwian and Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) retail outlet in Orhowhorun road both in Udu Local Government Area.
He added that Pius Idoghor in Udu, Feggy Global Ltd in Ughelli North and Dijoe Oil and Gas Ltd in Uvwie Local Government Area were also ordered to dispense free fuel.
Obukaroro identified some of the other defaulted petrol stations sealed to include: the Orogun Brothers Ltd in Orhuwhorun road, the NNPC retail outlet, Aladja in Udu Omosibo Oil and Rainoil in Effurun.
Others were: Oando and Leok Oil Olomu, Ughelli North, Cornoil, GES Oil and Oando in Ughelli South for under-dispensing and suspected adulterated product.
The team leader said the exercise would continue until the people learnt to comply with the Federal Government’s directive on the sale of petroleum products.
He urged the marketers to desist from short-changing the masses, noting that whoever was caught would face the full weight of the law.
Some of the beneficiaries of the free fuel commended the DPR for the bold step toward bringing sanity into the petroleum marketing business.
