- Operatives of the NSCDC in Niger state have intercepted eight trucks laden with 469,000 litres of fuel, on its way to Republic of Benin
- Six of the intercepted trucks reportedly belong to one marketer, two others were found to contain 66,000 litres
- According to the NNPC, the development confirms its position that the fuel scarcity witnessed recently in some parts of the country is being caused by products hoarding and diversion
Eight trucks laden with a total of 469,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) and their drivers, have been arrested by operatives of the Niger state command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The development was made public in a statement sent to NAIJ.com and signed by Ndu Ughamadu, group general manager, group public affairs division, NNPC.
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Ughamadu disclosed that the arrest was made in Mokwa, Niger state, as the drivers made their way to Babana, a border town between Nigeria and Republic of Benin.
Six of the intercepted trucks reportedly belong to one marketer, and two others were found to contain 66,000 litres, which is twice the quantity contained in a normal truck.
Ughamadu further stated that at a briefing on the development, the comptroller of operations of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Engr. Abdillahi Isa, disclosed that out of the eight trucks, only one had a genuine waybill to a recognized station in Babana.
The drivers of the trucks would soon be charged to court, and are currently being held at the Minna command of the NSCDC.
According to Ughamadu, the development confirms NNPC’s position that the fuel supply shortages witnessed recently in some parts of the country is being caused by products hoarding and diversion.
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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that Senate president Bukola Saraki said that the ongoing fuel scarcity in the country is man-made, and that those responsible would pay the price for visiting needless hardship on Nigerians.
He made the statement while welcoming his colleagues back to the plenary from their three weeks break.
Saraki explained that members of the Senate investigative panel on fuel scarcity had to cut short their recess and had commenced hearing on the crisis.
Fuel scarcity: This is getting too much for us - Nigerians lament - on NAIJ.com TV:
Source: Naija.ng
ROSY CREST
Thursday, 25 January 2018