[BREAKING] Fuel scarcity: DSS threatening us, says Ogun IPMAN

THE Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, in Ogun State, yesterday, berated the Department of State Services, DSS, over threat to clamp down on its members over the current fuel scarcity in the country.

The association, however, threatened to shut down all its outlets across the state, if the security agency clamps down on its members.

The DSS, last Thursday, issued the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, NNPC, Limited and oil marketers a 48-hour ultimatum to make petrol available across the country.

However, IPMAN, in a statement by its chairman, Mr Femi Adelaja, said the DSS, with such a policy, has failed in its sense of reasoning with genuine business operators who do not get the product from the government’s depot to sell the same at government approved price.

Adelaja said: “The DSS operatives have chosen the path of dishonour by threatening to go after IPMAN members, whose businesses survive on loans and other credit facilities provided by commercial banks at a not-too-friendly interest rate.

“Rather than for the security operatives to go after those who are making supplies difficult for IPMAN members, they have chosen the path of dishonour by threatening to go after IPMAN members, whose businesses survive on loans and other credit facilities provided by commercial banks at a not-too-friendly interest rate.

“If any of the law enforcement agencies in Nigeria is genuinely concerned about the security of the country, they should go after Federal Government officials and ensure that they make the product available for independent marketers at the already agreed price and desist from the unnecessary ranting of a wounded lion.

“IPMAN regarded the DSS’ stance on this matter as coming from a government agency that is fast deviating from its statutory responsibility to chasing genuine business investors around all in the name of securing the nation.

“IPMAN, however, warns that should the DSS fails to reverse its position and apologize to the peace-loving members of the Nigerian society, whose psyche was affected by its earlier statement, we would be left with no alternative than to close all our outlets across Ogun State.”