As queues resurfaced in most filling stations across Delta State, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission on Friday urged residents not to panic-buy assuring that there was enough sufficiency of the product in stock.
The Operations Controller (NUPRC), Warri Zonal office, Ignatius Anyanwu, who gave the assurance while speaking with journalists in Warri, however, warned petroleum marketers against sharp practices in the downstream sector declaring that offenders would be sanctioned accordingly.
He clarified that there was no case of fuel adulteration in Delta that probably could have created the perceived scarcity.
“The case of adulteration we are hearing, we did not record anyone in Warri zone. We have enough sufficiency in stock. I wonder why the sudden queue in filling stations across the state,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that residents in Warri and environs woke up on Tuesday to see queues in most of the filling stations in the metropolis resulting in panic buying.
Anyanwu advised motorists to stop panic buying, saying that the surveillance team of the commission was working assiduously to ensure there was no hoarding or diversion of products.
“A total of 4.8 million litres of petrol were trucked out on Wednesday to the four catchment states under the Warri zone, which means that Delta now has 2.3 million litres,” he said.
Anyanwu said that 116 trucks distributed the products across the four states, saying that 55 trucks out of the trucks supplied petrol to filling stations in Delta.
He said, “We had two vessels, one discharged on Wednesday, while the other discharged on Thursday. As of Thursday, we had over 62 million litres in stock and this is being distributed throughout the states. So, there should not be scarcity or panic buying.
“We are surprised to see the queue at filling stations. There is no need for that because we have enough sufficiency in stock. Of course, there was a case of adulteration in Lagos and others but the public does not need to panic.
“Although, truly speaking, the queues are gradually disappearing unlike on Wednesday. When we saw the queue, we immediately dispatched our surveillance team.”
Credit: PUNCH