Wole Balogun, Ado Ekiti
Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has threatened to clampdown, from today, on petrol dealers hoarding or diverting products in Ekiti State.
The NDCDC, Ekiti command, said it will not allow those it described as unscrupulous dealers to create artificial scarcity in the state, over non-existent anticipation that the official pump price may increase.
Governor Kayode Fayemi, on Friday, issued similar threat against some petrol dealers found to be hoarding fuel and compelled motorists to engage in panic buying since Friday.
The development had also caused the return of long queues in filling stations across the state and hike in the pump price in some stations to as high as N160 per litre.
Speaking with newsmen, in Ado Ekiti, yesterday, the command’s commandant, Solomon Iyamu, said he had instructed anti-vandal operatives to commence random checks on petrol stations and arrest those hoarding the product and subjecting people to hardship.
Iyamu, who spoke through the command’s Public Relations Officer, Tolu Afolabi, added that the operation will begin at 8:00a.m.
“We are starting the operation today, and those sabotaging the system will be arrested and brought to justice.
“We realised that long queues and artificial scarcity had been created by some petrol dealers, and we ready to address the issue.
“If we get to any petrol station and find out that it has as high as 10,000 litres of petrol in its pits, but the dealer is not selling, then, he is liable, and such person will face the law.
“We leant from good authorities that very high number of our petrol stations are now hoarding the product. Some are also selling above N145 per litre; these are the issues we will tackle squarely,” he said.
The NDCDC boss urged motorists to offer useful information to the command, to help his men and officers carry out the operation.
He promised the command will also strengthen its operation to prevent those who could divert products meant for Ekiti to another state, thereby creating scarcity in the system.