The Osun State Command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has arrested seven people in response to the Osun State Government’s warning against the hoarding of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS.
The suspects were fuel station attendants, managers, and supervisors from various locations in Osogbo, the state capital.
The arrests were carried out by the Command’s Anti-Vandalism Unit on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, according to a statement issued by the Commandant, Sunday Agboola, and signed by its spokesperson, Adeleke Kehinde.
According to the statement, “The arrest took place on Wednesday 31st May, 2023 while the Anti-Vandalism Unit of the command went round the state capital to monitor sales of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
“The unit went round the state capital and visited fuel stations around Lameco, Stadium, Owode Ilesha garage, Ilesha garage round about and Ayepe axis.
“The patrol revealed that they had fuel in their reservoirs but refused to sell to members of the public.
“While queues were seen at various filling stations, these unscrupulous marketers insisted on inflicting pains on their customers.
“Upon being asked the reason for their refusal to sell fuel, most of them said they were waiting for approval from their headquarters.”
However, Commandant Agboola has reiterated that the Corps would continue to clamp down on any illegal activity that is aimed at frustrating the efforts of the Federal government by making the fuel products unavailable to Nigerians.
“I call on members of the public to report filling stations that are hellbent on bringing untold hardship to the masses.
“Fuel hoarding is tantamount to economic sabotage and offenders would be made to face the full wrath of the law,” he noted.
Recall that on Tuesday, the Osun State Government raised an alarm that it has information of deliberate plans by petroleum marketers to hoard PMS.
The government in a statement also described the plans as unpatriotic and one aimed at economic sabotage.
The statement also warned that the Special Monitoring Team on fuel scarcity set up by Governor Ademola Adeleke was still in force and would arrest any marketer found culpable.
On May 29, 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his inauguration speech suspended the fuel subsidy regime.
President Tinubu held that it was no longer sustainable for Nigeria at this time.