FLASH POINT

By Shehu Yahaya

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria IPMAN has reaffirmed its stance against oil smuggling activities in the country.

The National President of IPMAN, Alhaji Abubakar Maigandi Shettima stated this at a Petroleum Stakeholders Engagement Meeting in Abuja.

According to him the smuggling activities is adversely crippling the nation’s Petroleum industry in all ramifications.

Alhaji Maigandi Shettima said presently there are over six hundred marketers across the border that today are not functioning, as they invested heavily, but becouse of such smuggling,their stations have been closed down.

He announced that since he became the President of IPMAN, he sought the collaboration of various security agencies towards tackling the ugly trend as a result of activities of some unpatriotic people.

The IPMAN National President explained that the leadership of the association was abled to meet with the Minister of Defence, Commandant General Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps NSCDC, Nigeria Customs Service NCS and Inspector General  of Police IGP on ways to address smuggling activities in the oil industry.

He however solicited the support of the National Security Adviser NSA Nuhu Rubsdo on tackling the menace of smuggling as it is adversely affecting the development of the oil sector.

The IPMAN President advised that petroleum products be distributed according to the numbers of filling stations in the country, to help check the excesses of smugglers.

Alhaji Abubakar Maigandi Shettima also attributed the problem of Petroleum smuggling in our borders to the activities of non marketers who were out to make money.

In a remark the National Security Adviser NSA. Mallam Nuhu Rubado descried that the persistent smuggling activities in the oil industry is seriously affecting the socio-economic development of the nation.

He cautioned that the present administration would not condone such unpatriotic act which is detrimental to the progress of Nigeria, saying that punitive measures would be taken against such petroleum smugglers and those behind it.

The NSA expressed worry that with the increased problems of smuggling, the nation’s oil industry is currently faced with serious set backs and challenges.

Also at the meeting, the Comptroller General Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Bashir Adewale Adeniyi reaffirmed the commitment of the service to continue to collaborate with other security agencies to stem the tide of smuggling of Petroleum products in the country.

He further warned that stiff penalties await any person or group found engaged in such smuggling activities as deterrent to others.