Fuel Scarcity Looms As Marketers Threaten To Halt Operations Over Harassment

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has threatened to shut down fuel stations across the country.

This threat was made known by IPMAN spokesperson, Yakubu Suleiman while speaking with reporters on Sunday in Jos, the capital of Plateau state.

According to Suleiman, the association has instructed its members to shut down operations over alleged harassment by the police.

He noted that the some police officers had invaded the association’s national secretariat on Friday over leadership issues among members.

“Whereas there is subsisting Supreme Court judgement of December 2018, that have since disposed off a suit No. SC15/2015, and ordered that Mr Chinedu Okoronkwo, is our President and Alhaji Danladi Garba Pasali, as National secretary,” he said.

“The continued violation of this judgement, even by the police is causing more harm to the downstream sector of the petroleum industry, which if such is not halted will lead to impunity and anarchy.

“It is true that members of IPMAN in many States across sections of Nigeria, have met and others are meeting and communicating to us that they will shut down, from Tuesday.

“The implications would be there will be a shortage or fuel scarcity in the country.

“We are calling on all arms of government including the security agencies to take the necessary action, towards halting impunity in the downstream sector of the petroleum industry.”

Suleiman said the shutdown will be enforced if the inspector-general of police (IGP) fails to address the invasion, which he described as illegal.