The Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has been accused of fraudulent activities by the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN).
Oil marketers have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene and put an end to the purported exploitation that is taking place in the distribution of petroleum products.
During a protest in Apapa, Lagos, reporters were addressed by Folalu Ebenezer, the Secretary of the IPMAN/NNPC PDO Forum, on Thursday.
In a surprising turn of events, Ebenezer has come out in support of the removal of fuel subsidies. However, this support comes with a caveat as they are urging the President to investigate the alleged racketeering that has been reportedly perpetrated by NNPCL officials. What could be the motive behind Ebenezer's sudden change of stance? Is there more to this story than meets the eye?
According to his statement, it appears that IPMAN was obligated to make payment in advance for the products supplied by NNPCL through the Authority to Pay (ATP) system, in order to facilitate the loading of said products at the designated Private Depot (PDO).
Months after payments were made through the NNPCL portal, marketers are still unable to access the product, according to Ebenezer's lament.
According to a member of the group, several individuals have claimed to possess tickets dating back as far as nine months prior to the fuel subsidy removal, yet they have allegedly been unable to load any products.
In a recent interview, Ebenezer revealed that there was a significant increase in ticket prices in January 2023. According to him, marketers were required to pay an extra N1,072,000 naira per ticket. This raises questions about the reasons behind the sudden price hike and the impact it had on the industry. Further investigation is necessary to uncover the full story.
Despite making the payment, it appears that the members have not yet retrieved the products. With over 4,500 tickets still unreleased on the portal, including a staggering 500 dynamic tickets, one can't help but wonder what could be causing the delay.
The informant has reported that NNPCL is allegedly demanding IPMAN members, who have already purchased tickets for their products, to pay an extra N13,702,000 per ticket.
The accusations made by the scribe suggest that the national oil firm may have been involved in diverting the product that was paid for by its members to private companies and personal tank farms.