The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has vowed to intensify efforts in the fight against oil theft and blocking of roads with petroleum tankers in the South-South and South-East regions.
Elder Chinedu Okoronkwo, the national president of IPMAN stated this in a statement on Wednesday while announcing the inauguration of Sunday Chukwuemeka as the coordinator for the Anambra State chapter of the association.
He noted that the south-south and south-east chapters of IPMAN led by Bayelsa and Anambra states had recorded significant successes in the battle against oil theft recently.
Okoronkwo said that IPMAN would no longer tolerate the indiscriminate use of petroleum tankers to barricade roads around the states of the two regions.
He warned those involved in such illegal actions to desist from it as anyone caught would be dealt with severely henceforth.
The IPMAN boss said, “Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari and the NNPC agreed that we have assisted in reducing cases of oil theft and vandalism to 35 per cent. We want to tell all our chapters that we are behind them and we will not relent.
“Those involved in the illegal blockage of roads with petroleum tankers should be warned. They will be dealt with. Petroleum marketers will not be allowed to engage in illegal activities. The roads should be clear.”
The coordinator of IPMAN in Bayelsa State, Mr Bello Bina described the task of curbing the illegal activities of pipeline vandals as tedious, promising that members were prepared to tackle oil thieves frontally in the state.
In his remarks, Chukwuemeka pledged to work hard towards stopping pipeline vandalism, oil thieves and petroleum tankers from perpetrating the menaces.
He appealed to major stakeholders like the Nigeria Police Force, Joint Task Force and IPMAN members to support the association in actualizing the mandate entrusted upon it by Buhari.
SOURCE: independent.ng