Beginning from Monday, residents and motorists in the southeast part of the country, may face scarcity of petrol.
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) on Saturday threatened to suspend the supply and distribution of products within its designated Eastern zone effective Monday.
IPMAN’s strike notice, which is contained in a circular signed by the association’s national president, Alhaji Sanusi Fari, sighted by TheIdeal, is coming against the backdrop of alleged harassment of its members by the police.
“Following the series of unwarranted attacks by the police against IPMAN, Eastern Zone comprising the National Executive Committee of IPMAN resolved that members withdraw their services at these units/depots immediately until further notice.
“The Zonal Chairman, East, should kindly forward (the notice) to chairmen, IPMAN, Aba, Calabar, Enugu, Makurdi and PH Depots/Units for compliance,” it stated.
IPMAN explained that the notice was to also protest the forceful eviction of a duly elected executive at the Port Harcourt depot by the police to pave way for a group not known to members of the association on Friday.
It said the Fari-led national executive had obtained a court order which legitimised its leadership and wondered why the Police would allow any group of persons to truncate a legitimate exco without due process.
“So we have resolved to withdraw our services in the Eastern zone indefinitely until legality is restored,” he said.
In a reaction, SP Nnamdi Omoni, Police Public Relations Officer, Rivers State Command, explained that the action of the police was in compliance with a directive based on a Supreme Court order.
Omoni said both parties were invited by the state’s Commissioner of Police, Friday Eboka, who read the judgement to them and the directive that the beneficiaries of the judgement should be allowed to enjoy the order.
“Both parties were invited by the CP and the order was read to them, so based on that it was enforced,” he said.
Theideal reports that depots to which IPMAN supplies products in its designated Eastern zone include Aba, Calabar, Enugu, Makurdi, and Port Harcourt.
