The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested Mr. Kasim Lamido, the manager of Lamido Petroleum, a filling station in New Nyanya, Nasarawa State, for diverting 26,000 litres of petrol.
A statement signed by Mr Ndu Ughamadu, NNPC spokesman noted the arrest validated NNPC claim on petrol diversion by some marketers.
It said that the manger diverted the 26,000 litres of petrol from New Nyanya to another location in Akwanga, Nasarawa State to sell at a higher price.
According to an official of the NSCDC, Yusuf Ayinde, Chief Superintendent of the Corps, in the statement, Lamido, took delivery of 40,000 litres of petrol meant for his station but discharged only 13, 3000 litres, from one out of the three compartments in the truck
He noted that the manger diverted the remaining 26,000 litres to a station in Akwanga where it would be sold above the N145 per litre official price.
He said that the suspect would be charged to court by the Civil Defence Corps after ongoing investigation.
“The latest arrest validates NNPC’s position that the activities of a potent petroleum products smuggling and diversion syndicate contributed immensely to the shortage being experienced in some cities.
“This posed a challenge to the efforts by the Corporation to sanitise the fuel supply and distribution chain across the country,’’ he said
The corporation in the statement further urged motorists not to engage in panic buying as it was working in collaboration with major stakeholders to eliminate the distribution hiccups that had led to the emergence of fuel queues in some parts of the country.
Motorists are advised to report any marketer selling above N145 per litre of petrol or hoarding products to the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) which is statutorily empowered to deal with such issues.