Motorists in Kaduna and Akwa Ibom Enjoy Free Fuel

15 filling stations in Akwa Ibom and one in Kaduna have been punished by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), for hoarding petroleum products.

The petroleum products of the 15 filling stations were on Wednesday, dispensed free of charge, to motorists and motorcyclists in the state while Petrol from the filling station at Romi was also freely distributed to motorists and motorcycle riders within the Romi area of Kaduna.

DPR Operations Controller, Akwa Ibom and Cross River, Asuquo Antai, revealed to journalists that the petrol stations were caught hoarding fuel and selling above government approved pump price of N87 per litre.

Antai said that the guilty petrol stations are located in Uyo, Eket, Mbo, Oron, Abak and Ikot Ekpene areas of the state.

“They buy these products at the approved ex-depot price of N77.66 and some lifted from NNPC at the approved price, but turn around and sell at N170 per litres.

“It is not acceptable; they must sell at the government approved retail price of N87 per litre.

“We are at the depot to ensure compliance to these new directives and new measures put on ground to actually address these gaps that have affected the system.
The affected filling station, Samrada Nigeria Limited was caught hoarding a total of 19, 500 litres of fuel and was also selling above the N87 per litre pump price.

“We also observed that a lot of vessels are bringing in products in Calabar depot. We are expecting about 50 to 60 million litres in the next three days into Calabar depot.”

In Kaduna, Zonal controller, Usman Ndanusa, also ordered another filling station to reverse to the N87 pump price as against the N135 it was selling to customers when the officials arrived.

As punishment, the owner of the filling station was fined N100, 000.