Officials of the NSCDC monitoring fuel sale compliance this morning arrested a defaulting official of oil Marketer, Rainoil, Nnebisi Road, near Konwea plaza, Asaba, and another staff of Dwell, a fuel marketing station for selling pms at N220 instead of the N165 legal pump price.
Incidentally, it was the security staff at Dwell filling station that was arrested when efforts to reach the station’s manager was aborted by conniving staff of the filling station.
Mr. Okwechime P.E. who led the monitoring team answering questions about why the security man was arrested instead of the Director or manager, he said arresting the security personnel of the station was the only alternative left for us as the manager was being shielded.
He said: “When we came, we asked for the manager, he was kept away. Then we came to one of the attendants operating one of the fuel pumps to take us to the manager, on getting to the door to the office, she entered and locked the door against us, preventing us to go in. It was then we decided to arrest any staff in sight and the security man was picked. When the director or manager comes for him at our office, he will be made to replace the security man.”
For the Rainoil where the officials compelled the female staff of the fuel station to open the fuel storage tanks, it was discovered that the station had more than12,000 litres of pms, they had kerosine as well as diesel, all of which were being horded, while motorist queued in the sun endlessly and the gates of the stations locked against them.
When the Rainoil woman refused the directive to begin to sell fuel to members of the waiting public, saying that her manager was not around, she was arrested and taken away to the NSCDC office.
Mr. Okwechime confirmed that no fewer than 16 officials of fuel stations that are holding fuel or selling about the lawful pump price have been arrested and would be prosecuted.
“It is wrong to subject Nigerians to undue hardship by selling oil that belongs to government about the controlled price.”
Many observers of the drama berated Rainoil marketing company for its attitude of insensitivity to the plight of members of the public.
Okoye Ben, who operates a business centre said it’s wickedness for an oil company to hoard fuel when Nigerians are suffering, and gross wickedness to deny people fuel in jerry cans. “How does one bring generator to the filling station to buy fuel? he asked, in frustration.
Many see the attitude of Rainoil and such other fuel marketers that are taking advantage of the fuel situation in the country to inflict more pain on the people who must use fuel as not being business friendly to Nigerians