The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, on Sunday said it recorded 30 cases of fuel diversion in Maiduguri in the last three months.
Bukar Gana, the NNPC Coordinator in-charge of Fuel Supply, Distribution and Sales, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Maiduguri.
Mr. Gana said the corporation had set up a Distribution Monitoring Committee to ensure that all products get to the desired allocated filling stations in the state.
The coordinator, who expressed regrets that the 9 p.m. curfew had restricted the extent to which the committee operate, said most diversion took place at night.
“We are seeking for the collaboration of the Borno Government on manpower capacity to stop diversion of petrol in the state.
“What we normally do is that we give you fuel and go after you to ensure that you actually sell it to the masses.
“We have received several complaints that other filling station are selling above pump prices so we are working with the Department of Petroleum Resources which has the sole responsibility to make sure filling station owners are ensuring strict compliance.
“We cannot be everywhere at the same time, but we are seeking collaboration with the state government to ensure our committee can move anytime to check unscrupulous activities”, Mr. Gana said.
He also appealed to the state government to emulate Kaduna and Jos and ban black marketers’ activities to enable the filling station owners sell to motorists.
“The filling station owners enjoyed the patronage of black marketers so sometimes they closed down their filling stations during the day and when it is night they open and start selling.
“You will see the black marketers with fuel everywhere while most of the filling stations are closed so we really have to also stop this”.
(NAN)
