In a general survey of the condition of the people in the filling stations, several motorists spoke bitterly.
The Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Maikanti Baru, has described as saddening the discovery of illegal fuel reservoirs in the city centre amidst nationwide fuel crisis.
In an interview with The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the site of the mini depot, he noted that while brainstorming in the war room about why the situation (fuel queues) persist, they got an intelligence report.
The sting operation lead by the GMD on Sunday, included a combined team of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and security agents.
In his words, the GMD said: “We got an intelligence report of these mini depots and as you can see, these golf cars that are supposed to have 40 liters have tanks that can take 200 liters of petrol.”
He described the situation as saddening and the perpetrators as the causers of untold pain and hardship on Nigerians at a crucial season as Christmas.
The illegal reservoir had 500 liter tanks, 200-liter drums and hundreds of jerry cans of fuel according to The News Agency of Nigeria.
Meanwhile, The Abuja Zonal Controller of DPR, Mohammed Abba stated while speaking with journalists that 20 people in connection with jerry can-type sellers in Zone One alone have been arrested alongside their facilities.
He added that: “We are handling them over to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, because the DPR has no capabilities to prosecute.” However, “we will test for forensic analysis and we will pursue the case to court.”
In a general survey of the condition of the people in the filling stations, several motorists spoke bitterly.
Celia Tamuno told NAN that: “this Christmas is horrible. See me here, it is annoying and the lines are so long. Other mothers are at Wonderland, other fun places and I’m here. This is heart-breaking.”
Article by Muhammed Adenowo