The Ogun State chapter of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) yesterday threatened to shut down all its outlets in the state if the Department of State Services (DSS) goes ahead to clampdown on its members. IPMAN chided the security agency over its threat to arrest its members over the current fuel scarcity in the country. DSS had last week given the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and oil marketers a 48-hour ultimatum to make petrol available across the country.”
But, IPMAN while reacting to the DSS ultima- tum in a statement signed by its Chairman, Femi Adelaja, said the security agency with such an ultimatum has failed in its sense of reasoning with genuine business operators who do not get product from government’s depot to sell same at government’s approved price. Adelaja added that the DSS personnel should go after those who are mak- ing supplies difficult for IPMAN members.
He added that personnel of the DSS have chosen the path of dishonour by threatening to go after IPMAN members, whose businesses survive on loans and other credit facilities provided by commercial banks at a not-toofriendly interest rate. The statement reads in part; “Rather than for the agency to go after those who are making supplies difficult for IPMAN members, they have chosen the path of dishonour by threatening to go after IPMAN members, whose businesses survive on loans and other credit facilities provided by commercial banks at a nottoo- friendly interest rate. “If any of the law enforcement agencies in Nigeria is genuinely concerned about the security of the country, they should go after NNPCL officials and ensure that they make the product available for independent marketers at an already agreed price and desist from the unnecessary ‘ranting of a wounded lion.’
