There was a sharp rise in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly called Petrol as members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), shut their stations to protest alleged seizures of their tankers by operatives of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS).
IPMAN chairman in the state, Alhaji Dahiru Buba, addressed a press conference in Yola, where he alleged that customs officers around the borders targeted legitimate businesses of IPMAN members and confiscated their product.
He said the action is causing huge financial losses to members and artificial scarcity and hike in price of petrol for the general public. He alleged that 5 of his PMS trucks were seized prompting him to write a letter to the Comptroller General of Customs, 4 of those trucks, he said, were eventually released accompanied with a letter of apology.
“Several other illegal seizures were made in various privately owned filling stations,” he said.
The chairman said the ongoing strike became necessary after other private trucks were seized. “We wrote to them (Nigeria Customs) again but there were no responses that is why we decided to go on strike, this is our business, and we cannot be quiet when our members are treated this way,” he said.
He, therefore, called on the customs service to cease its ‘illegal’ actions, and urged the National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu; Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, and Governor Kefas Agbu of Taraba State to intervene.
Black market traders quickly filled the void of the shortages to sell petrol for ₦1,400 a litre, compared to between ₦650 and ₦750 at the pump.
