The Nigeria Mainstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has sealed seven fuel stations in Kogi State for violating petroleum dispensing regulations.
This was disclosed by Ogbe Godwin, the NMDPRA Coordinator for Kogi State, during a press briefing in Lokoja on Thursday.
According to reports from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the affected stations were shut down for under-dispensing petroleum products, a fraudulent practice that shortchanges consumers.
List of Sealed Fuel Stations
The seven filling stations sealed for under-dispensing include:
- Solag Resources Ltd. (Ankpa)
- Hismus Oil and Gas (Obajana)
- Riyenic Global Ltd. (Oke-Ibukun, Kabba)
- S.O.T Nigeria Ltd. (Omuo Kabba)
- Marktot Oil and Gas (Kabba)
- NIPCO Filling Station
Additionally, four other stations were shut down for operating without valid licenses, including:
- Absala Oil and Gas
- Yak Ali Oil and Gas
- Yamuda Nigeria Ltd.
- Hanimat Nigeria Ltd. (all in Ankpa Local Government Area)
NMDPRA Warns Against Sharp Practices
Speaking on the enforcement action, Ogbe Godwin condemned fuel marketers who engage in fraudulent practices for personal gain, stressing that under-dispensing petroleum products is a serious offense with strict legal consequences.
“It is a big offense to under-dispense petroleum products to customers. Any petroleum marketer caught will face the full wrath of the law. All the seven filling stations we shut today will be paying into the coffers of the Federal Government. This will serve as a deterrent to others who may tend to follow this dubious act,” he stated.
He further warned unlicensed operators to register their businesses or risk being shut down and prosecuted.
“We will no longer tolerate any marketer operating illegally in the state. It is better for them to go and do the needful by registering their stations with the Federal Government, or the long arms of the law will catch up with them.”
Regulatory Crackdown Extends to Other States
The NMDPRA has been intensifying enforcement nationwide:
- Earlier this week, it sealed two filling stations and a gas plant in Sagamu, Ogun State, for similar infractions.
- Last week, 19 illegal Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) outlets were shut down in Delta State over safety concerns and lack of licenses.
The agency, which is responsible for issuing licenses to oil and gas operators in the midstream and downstream sectors, reiterated its commitment to ensuring compliance with operational standards and preventing acts that sabotage government efforts in the petroleum industry.