Large quantity of adulterated Premium Motor Spirit popularly known as petrol have been imported into Nigeria according to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority on Tuesday.
Queues have resurfaced in filling stations in major states across the country while the Nigeria National Petroleum Company had adduced it to panic buying.
But the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority admitted that a large quantity of adulterated petrol was found along the supply chain which caused the partial scarcity.
The agency did not give any figure but promised that the supplier of the commodity would be punished.
However, the National President, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Debo Ahmed said about 100 million litres of the contaminated fuel were imported.
He said IPMAN had directed all its members not to sell the product and an those that were already at the fuel stations would not be released to the public.
“Well, I don’t know the exact volume, but what I know is that we lifted from various depots in Lagos. But we don’t know the quantity, they say it is about 100 million litres or so.”
The NMDPRA had said in its statement that, “To ensure vehicular and equipment safety, the limited quantity of the impacted product has been isolated and withdrawn from the market, including the loaded trucks in transit
“Our technical team in conjunction with the NNPC Limited and other industry stakeholders, will continue to monitor and ensure quality petroleum products are adequately supplied and distributed nationwide.
“The source supplier has been identified and further commercial and appropriate actions shall be taken by the authority and the NNPC Limited.
“The NNPC Limited and all oil marketing companies have been directed to sustain sufficient distribution of petrol in all retail outlets nationwide.”
