NNPC Mega station, Minna | Image: Channelstv
.Says mgt is supporting smugglers
By Mohammed Usman
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Niger State Council has accused the management of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Minna mega station, of sharp practises including aiding black marketers /smugglers in sabotaging the country by siphoning and smuggling petroleum products to neighbouring countries.
This is coming weeks after motorists and customers had raised alarm that smugglers had hijacked the same NNPC mega station, located along the Nnamdi Azikiwe Way, Western by-pass, Minna, of taking over and dictating sales and allocations to customers.
While some customers queue for hours without being attended to, the smugglers allegedly connive with the management of the Minna mega station for an agreed sum to supply them with products running into thousands of litres which they smuggle across Nigerian boarders.
Niger State Council Chairman of the NUJ, Comrade Abu Nmodu, reacting to on-going sharp practices, said that it was unfortunate that the management of the NNPC Minna mega station had descended so low to sabotage the country and Nigerians by aiding and abating smuggling.
While many motorists and other customers were made to spend hours before getting attended to, Abu said that he got to know that the NNPC mega station had fallen into the hands of smugglers who now dictate what happens therein and therefore wants the relevant authorities to investigate and end the trend.
The chairman said, “I was told that the smugglers and hoodlums get fuel and other petroleum products with ease because they enter into agreement with the management of the mega station for an agreed sum that exchanged hands”.
Also read: NNPC assures investors on infrastructure development
While being served, the peotrol attendants and the culprit form human shield to cover their dirty deals and the vehicle number, the chairman said, adding, “Each of the tinted vehicles turned into fuel tanks takes nothing less that 1, 600 litres or more while law-abiding citizens are forced to wait for hours unattended to”.
The unfortunate thing, according to the chairman, is that while you hardly get fuel sometimes as a law-abiding citizen, these smugglers are always there, some of them well-known political thugs adorning themselves with the Tinubu /Bago branded white caps and in broad day light denying citizens the right to buy petroleum products without wasting time.
Abu said that there were two vehicles they constantly use to siphon petroleum products; a VW salon and Toyota Avensus bearing Lagos number and most recently, a dark bue Mercedes benz with Cross River state registration number, CKK 509 AA.
Meanwhile, efforts to get the NNPC Minna mega station Manager for reaction as at the time of this report proved abortive.
The manager, it was learnt, is aware that journalists had been looking for him but he deliberately kept avoiding to speak on the issue, because when our correspondent visited, he was told that he was not on seat and was not sure of when he would be back to the office.
Meanwhile, the DPR has sealed the station in preparation for investigation.
