By ARMSTRONG ALLAHMAGANI, Bauchi-
The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) on Tuesday, sealed off no fewer than ten filling stations in Bauchi metropolis and Azare town in Katagum Local Government Area of the State, for illegally increasing the pump price of petrol.
The DPR Comptroller, Engineer Abdullahi Iliyasu, disclosed this during a routine patrol he personally led to parts of the state.
Engineer IIiyasu stated that many of the sealed stations sold petrol over the approved N162 per litre price while others were shut down due to non-compliance with safety measures.
“Last week we had a serious problem of price hike in Bauchi and government has not increased the price of petroleum products. So we have a directive from the Zonal Comptroller that all of them must revert to the N162 per litre pump price”.
“So since that time, we have been going round to ensure that all of them comply. Some of them are selling at N170 per litre. So we are going to penelize them. They will pay a fine before we unseal their stations”.
“Some of them have safety issues. Their fire extinguishers expired. There is evidence that they are operating in an unsafe condition. We have to seal them to make sure that they are put in order,” he stated.
The DPR Comptroller who explained that the sealed stations would be charged a fine of N100,000 per pump, also urged all fuel stations’ operators in the state to go to the department and get licences.
