Petrol Marketers and Tanker Drivers Cease Operations in Oyo and Osun States Due to Alleged Police Harassment

In a decisive move, members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and the Petroleum Tanker Drivers branch of NUPENG in Oyo and Osun states have suspended all operations with immediate effect.

The decision came after an emergency meeting held in Ibadan on Saturday, where stakeholders cited ongoing harassment and extortion by the police as their primary reason for halting activities.

Mutiu Bukola, co-chairman of IPMAN, and Hammed Hamzat, representing the Petroleum Tanker Drivers branch of NUPENG, were among the attendees. They were joined by Surajudeen Adegoke, chairman of the Independent Marketers branch of NUPENG, and Olalekan Lawal, vice-chairman of IPMAN.

The group collectively condemned the actions of the IGP monitoring team on the highways, accusing them of disrupting the transportation of petroleum products from depots to filling stations across both states.

Speaking on behalf of the associations, the IPMAN chairman called for an immediate cessation of harassment and extortion of their members, asserting that operations would remain suspended until these issues were satisfactorily addressed.

He declared a halt to the opening of filling stations and the movement of petroleum tankers within Oyo and Osun states until the IGP monitoring team ceased their activities on the roads.

“The IGP monitoring team was originally tasked with preventing pipeline vandalism, but they have overstepped their mandate,” stated Mr. Bukola. He highlighted an incident where a tanker driver was allegedly arrested and detained by the team in Gbongon early on Saturday.

“The team has assumed the regulatory role of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), causing unnecessary delays and disruptions,” Mr. Bukola added.

He further criticized what he described as unwarranted multiple charges imposed on their operations, exacerbating the challenges already faced by the petroleum sector in both states.

The stakeholders emphasized that such actions by the police were not only detrimental to their industry but also to the welfare of Nigerians at large.