From Desmond Mgboh, Kano
Petroleum regulators, at the weekend, descended on several petrol filling stations in Kano metropolis, sealing no fewer that fourteen of them for selling above the official pump price.
In addition to hike in their pump price, a few others had additional cases against them such as indiscriminate parking of trucks within their premises and lack of safety equipment in their stations.
The operation, led by the Kano State Coordinator, Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Aliyu Mohammed Sama, covered most stations situated along Zaria Road, Maiduguri Road, Mariri and the Bypass axis, along the federal highway to Hadejia town.
Some of the stations booked and sealed by the regulators included Azman Petroleum, Redstar Oil and Gas, Allah Na Nan Nigeria Limited, Alaj Petroleum, Audu Manager and Dalamin Petroleum all situated aling Zaria Road.Others were Audu Manager Petrol Station, Rabash Petroleum and IDM Magoli Petrol Station along Maiduguri Road among others.
In a post – operation briefing, Sama disclosed that the station were sealed up by the authority in the discharge of its regulatory functions, namely confirmation of discharge and price regulation.
He noted that, “We have sealed up 14 filling stations in the state capital during this operation”, adding that last month, they sealed over 120 filling stations in the state.
He stressed that the stations would be pay of a fine of N150 ,000 per pump and leave a promise not to return to the old prices before they are allowed to reopen while warning that recalcitrant defaulters stood the risk of losing their license.
