Panic in Ilorin as DPR , IPMAN members fight dirty (updated)

– Police in Kawara have stepped-in to resolve the rift between members of IPMAN and DPR in the state

– Members of IPMAN reportedly disrupted a monitoring exercise by the DPR in Ilorin

– Petrol prices and the shutting down of certain fuel stations lies at the heart of the fracas

Emerging reports suggest that police in Kwara have waded into an intense dispute in Ilorin stirred by an over protracted acute shortage of petroleum products in the state

The fracas reportedly broke out on Wednesday, March 9, as members of the Independent Petroleum Markers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) mobilised themselves to disrupt the monitoring exercise embarked upon by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in Ilorin to punish those selling beyond official prices.

However, the head of 0perations of the DPR office in Ilorin, Mr Ibitayo Oyedele, has disclosed that the controller of the DPR in the state, Mr Philips Salvation, had petitioned the police and the DSS over an alleged manhandling of some DPR workers by IPMAN members.

According to him, the police have invited some officers of IPMAN for questioning on the development.

IPMAN had made claims reports the DPR routine monitoring exercise in Ilorin over the time had led to the immediate closure of many petrol stations which sold beyond official price among other severe punishments regardless where and how the petroleum products were bought which many operators claim caused them to sell above official prices.

This development allegedly led to scarcity of petroleum products in Ilorin, while in other places outside the state capital such as Omuaran, Offa, Oro etc,  petroleum products were available but sold beyond official pump prices and commuters among other customers travelled ‎from Ilorin to these cities to purchase the products.

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In contrast to the these claims, Oyedele told newsmen that it was not true that independent marketers bought their fuel at higher prices from private depots. The head of operations said that fuel sold by the independent marketers were imported by NNPC and sold to them at the official price.

He also noted that independent marketers who bought fuel from distant PPMC depots were paid for bridging.

“It is not correct that marketers lift petrol at higher prices from distant depots, every extra expenses incurred by marketers is defrayed by the federal government,” he said.

DPR official seals a petrol station

Oyedele informed that because the controller refused to shift grounds and allow the marketers to sell at exorbitant prices, they had refused to sell their products to the public.

According to him, this is the main cause of the acute fuel scarcity in Kwara, particularly in Ilorin, the capital.

Oyedele alleged that a factional leader of IPMAN, Mr Olanrewaju Okanlawon, had led some members of the body to assault DPR officials, who had come to seal off his filling station at Ajase Ipo Road, Ilorin.

NAN reports that efforts to get the reaction of the IPMN chief on the matter yielded no dividend as his mobile phone was switched off

Local sources affirmed Oyedele’s claim that while the DPR went round the petrol stations which were selling beyond official price, IPMAN members followed suit and ordered their members to ignore the DPR directives.

The IPMAN members reportedly urged their members to keep on selling beyond official prices to alleviate the suffering ‎of the masses in Ilorin. It was this move by IPMAN that allegedly brewed anger in members of the DPR

Witnesses say men of the Department of State Security (DSS) and other security operatives had to barricade the two entrances leading to the DPR office at GRA Ilorin as the IPMAN insisted on following them to their office.

‎IPMAN which was led by Alh Okanlawon Olanrewaju and supported by other members insisted that they will henceforth not obey the federal government regulation on the oil and gas sector prices.

Olanrewaju and his members stormed some of the filling stations that were hoarding petrol which were sealed by the officials of the DPR in the state capital and unsealed them.

Speaking during the imbroglio at Joy by Joy filling station along Ajase-Ipo road in Ilorin, Olanrewaju flanked by some of his members said they have not been working for over 7months and promised that they will not continue like that.

“We are buying petrol from private depots at N106 and reach N111 as landing cost. We do not have more than two trucks at Ilorin depot as we speak with you now.

“We can’t continue like that. We have gone to dialogue with Controller of the DPR in the state but refused to listen to us and we don’t know why the Ilorin case is so peculiar because other states in the country are selling at the rate they buy the product in depot.

“We won’t obey any price regulation if we continue to buy the product at the private depot,” Olanrewaju said.

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In airing his view on the situation, the controller of the DPR, Mr Salvation Philip‎, told journalists that the exercise was based on information available to them that petroleum law regarding pricing is being violated and that they were out to communicate one strong message that nobody is above the law as there are laws governing all sectors of economy of the country.

“Oil marketers have to abide by it. I also want the public to know that DPR along with other federal government security agencies will not fold their arms and allow any group or individual cheat them. We will ensure that the public get the product at the right prices and right quantity,” Philip said.

Mr Philip in reacting to the IPMAN action, said it is a security issue as there are law enforcement agencies that witnessed what transpired.

“DPR as a department is not dealing with factions but individual owing petrol station. Our outing is not about confrontation but to pass message that the government is working hard to make the product available and we will not fold our hands and watch public being cheated.

“DPR is not in position to fix prices and government position on it is clear. There is government agency to make the prouncement which DPR work with. It is so because as far as DPR know, it is government that is carrying the burden of sourcing for the products. Kwara state is my jurisdiction and I am responsible to director of petroleum resource and not to anybody in the state. I won’t take any excuses because it is above my power as I am not in position to give concession on the price,” he said. ‎

Sources disclose that one of the filling stations visited by the DPR was Super moon which reportedly adjusted its pump and was under dispensing to motorists. Great pacific and Joy-by-Joy were also sealed for hoarding petrol of 10000 litres and 9400 litres respectively.

Meanwhile, IPMAN has advised the federal government to deregulate the downstream sector of the oil and gas industry, stressing that refineries that fail to come back production should be sold as “scrap”.

The national operation controller of the IPMAN, Mike Osatuyi maintained that the move would bring a lasting solution to the problem of scarcity experienced in most parts of the country.

Osatuyi who revealed government’s premium motor spirit intervention with the association added that since the 90-day fast-track ultimatum for the revival of the refineries given by federal government, only Kaduna refinery has resumed production.

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