DPR shuts 56 fuel stations in Plateau, Kano

The Department of Petroleum Resources has sealed up 36 filling stations in Kano State and 22 in Plateau State over non-compliance with the official price and other related offences.
The department recently commenced clamp  down on illegal marketers and retailers who sell fuel to black marketers in Plateau State.
Speaking with newsmen after an inspection of filling stations, the Plateau DPR Operations Comptroller, Idris Yahaya Abubakar, said the essence of the exercise was to ensure policy compliance.
Abubakar said the DPR would ensure that all fuel stations in the state comply with the regulations.
“We are sealing the stations because most of them are not complying with the government price. Most of them sell at their desired prices  between N97 and N100 and even above N100. Others are operating illegally without names or addresses”, he said.
In Kano, 23 of the affected stations were sealed-off for selling above the approved pump price, four for hoarding and five for fuel diversion.
DPR’s Operation Controller in-charge of Kano and Jigawa States, Alhaji Isa Tafida, said each defaulter would pay N100, 000 as first offender. He added that if any of the affected stations is caught for a similar offence again, the station would be sealed for three months in addition to a stiffer penalty.
He also said each filling station shut for hoarding would pay N100, 000 and issued a warning letter while those closed for diversion were given 24 hours to return the diverted product.
“Any filling station that fails to return the diverted petrol will be compelled to pay N200 per liter of the commodity diverted, that is what the law stipulates and we will stick to it,” he warned.