By Chidi Nkwopara

OWERRI—The Zonal Office of the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, sealed about seven  filling stations in parts of Owerri and its adjoining communities, yesterday, for flouting varying rules, regulating their operations.

File photo: DPR official sealing a fuel station

Briefing newsmen after the exercise, the leader of the operation, who also doubles as the Head, Gas Monitoring and Regulation, South East, Engr. Albert Echeibe, disclosed that one of the outlets was sealed for diversion of petroleum products.

“The manifest in our possession showed that MRS Filling Station, Okigwe Road, Owerri, lifted 33,000 litres of petrol, last Monday, from Aba Depot, but they could not account for the product when we called yesterday,” Echeibe said.

While saying that this is a clear case of possible  diversion, Engr. Echeibe also said that they had no other option than to seal the outlet until they fully explain what happened to the consignment.

The situation was slightly different at  Integrated Oil and Gas, as well as Forte Oil on Okigwe Road, Owerri, as they were also sealed by the DPR.

“The report available to us showed that Integrated Oil and Gas sold fuel higher than the approved pump price early in the day, but shut down when they got wind of the DPR check,” Echeibe said.

Continuing, the DPR team leader also explained that  Forte Oil staff locked up the station and absconded on sighting DPR officials.

“Based on this act, we sealed that station. People around the vicinity equally confirmed that they were selling fuel before we arrived the scene,” Echeibe said.

All the other stations visited by the DPR officials were forced to sell PMS to customers at the approved pump price.

Some of the citizens, who spoke to Vanguard at the different locations, commended DPR for religiously enforcing the Federal Government regulations on the pricing of petroleum products.