IPMAN Orders Closure of Filling Stations as Fuel Price Hits N2,500 Per Litre
Petrol prices have skyrocketed, with the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) increasing the cost of fuel to an alarming N2,500 per litre.
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This sharp hike has triggered a more than 200 percent rise in inter- and intra-city transport fares, as filling stations and other fuel outlets across the state remain closed following IPMAN’s strike action.
The shutdown, which began on Tuesday, is a result of a directive from IPMAN’s state chapter.
The association’s Coordinating Committee Chairman, Comrade Francis Udoyen, and Secretary, Prince Ekom Idemudo, explained that the move was in protest of the continued seizure of petrol-laden trucks by operatives of the Joint Task Force (JTF). The trucks, according to IPMAN, have been held in custody for over four months.
The union, in a statement tagged “Notice of Withdrawal of Services Over Confiscation of PMS – Loaded Trucks by JTF Personnel,” directed all its members to halt operations until further notice. “As part of our obligation to stand for each other… you are hereby directed to close your filling stations from the public with effect from Tuesday, September 24, 2024,” the statement read.
IPMAN’s leadership emphasized that the decision had the backing of the association’s national office, warning members of severe consequences if they failed to comply.
The dispute stems from the JTF’s confiscation of two trucks of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and 44 drums of petrol at six filling stations in Mbo Local Government Area, which were allegedly involved in petroleum smuggling activities.
The crackdown, led by Operation Delta Safe (ODS) under the 2 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, has sparked a tense standoff between IPMAN and government forces.
In response, the Chairman of the Natural Oil and Gas Association of Nigeria (NOGASA), Comrade Sam Osung, condemned IPMAN’s actions, describing the strike as a form of “economic sabotage.”
Osung blamed the government for its failure to act decisively, accusing them of allowing criminal activities to flourish within the petroleum sector.
“The officials of IPMAN addressed a press conference demanding the immediate release of the trucks. Subsequently, they shut down their filling stations and embarked on a protest in Oron LGA,” Osung stated.
He argued that IPMAN’s refusal to take the matter to court was a sign of guilt, asserting that “an innocent marketer should have gone to court to prove his innocence.”
The ongoing conflict has also impacted fuel supplies in the state. Osung noted that IPMAN had hired Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTDs) to halt the transportation of petrol into Akwa Ibom since last week.
Despite the disruption, the army has attempted to mediate by escorting the seized trucks back to their owners, while requesting proper documentation from IPMAN.
With Akwa Ibom’s fuel crisis deepening, residents are calling on the state government to intervene.
However, Osung criticized the government’s lack of action, recalling how he was scapegoated and fired as a former aide to Governor Umo Eno, despite his attempts to address similar issues in the past.
“The government should act as government,” Osung stressed, urging them to resolve the situation in the interest of the public.
