The Department of State Services (DSS) has explained its reason for wading into the fuel crisis rocking the nation.
For several weeks, Nigerians have been queueing at filling station to get fuel.
Despite assurance by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), the situation has continued.
On Thursday, the secret police had a meeting with marketers and other stakeholders in the oil sector.
Speaking after the meeting, Peter Afunanya told journalists that the DSS’ intervention became imperative in order to prevent any security implication or negative dimension that could arise from the “ugly trend”.
He added that the service was being proactive by curbing what can cause incitement in the country ahead of next year or during Yuletide.
“The DSS called the meeting because of the security implications that may arise from this trend, and we say enough is enough! Whatever hurdles, the trend must be resolved. We will not continue to tolerate fuel scarcity. You must ensure adequate supply.”
“Some people may want to query that what is our business in the fuel issues, we make bold to say that the service is charged the mandate of detecting and preventing crimes and criminalities that may want to jeopardize internal security which this one is not an exception,” he said.
‘NNPC has 1.9bn litres in stock’
The DSS spokesman disclosed that the NNPCL expressed its commitment to liaise with depot owners under the aegis of DAPMAN in order to sell to marketers at former depot price.
He added that NNPCL disclosed that it had about 1.9bn liters of fuel in stock, which will last beyond the period of Yuletide with a view relieving Nigerians from the present anguish.
“We’re not saying it is sabotage, but if it comes to economic sabotage, we will rise to the occasion. At the meeting, everybody was frank. NNPCL stated that there is sufficiency of fuel. But why the scarcity? We however resolved as follows:
“That the NNPCL will continue to make the products available at ex-depot price to all marketers. It was also agreed that the NNPCL would decentralize its distributions across the country.
“Than MOMAN and NNPCL will review issue of supply and distribution on daily basis, and that marketers will operate on 24 hours basis.
“We hereby give 48 hours ultimatum to all the stakeholders to ease off all the bottlenecks. We will, as a matter of urgency, carry out operations if any person or stakeholder decides to be obstructive. We are sounding a note of warning to all obstructive tendencies. It won’t be business as usual.
“We will alert our State and zonal commands to begin operations overtly and covertly, and start enforcement after 48 hours if the problems persist.”
The stakeholders at the meeting included officials of MOMAN, DEPMAN, IPMAN, NNPC, NARTO, NUPENG and PTD.