The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ekiti State Command, has cautioned petroleum black marketers in the state to desist from the illicit trade or face the wrath of the law.
The state commandant Mr John Olatunde Fayemi made this known while parading some seized products recovered by Anti Vandal Operations in the state in his office at Ado/Ikere road, Ekiti State.
Mr Fayemi, who frowned at the rate at which some people are creating artificial scarcity of petroleum products in the state, opined that filling station owners and some greedy marketers are in the habit of selling and dispensing the product at night, making it difficult for consumers to buy the products directly from filling stations and thereby creating illegal markets for the selling of the products.
The Commandant, who lamented about the inherent dangers associated with black marketing and the economic implications of its festering in the state, noted that several lives have been lost as a result of a fire outbreak resulting from keeping petroleum products at home as well as grounding of economic activities in the society.
The Anti-Vandal Unit has been moving round the 16 local governments in Ekiti State to arrest and possibly confisticate petroleum products found to be proceed of blackmarketing, enforce the approved pump price and also make sure that filling stations who have more than the required reserve sell the products to consumers who are struggling to purchase it.
The Leader of the Anti-Vandal Assistant Commandant Evans Imaro who is also the Head of the Unit disclosed that over 600 litres of Premium Motor Spirit were seized from the black marketers during the operation in Ekiti State with the owners taking to their heels thereby making it difficult to ascertain their owners as at press time.
The State Commandant, who advised people of the state to stay calm as normalcy in the selling and dispensing of the product will soon return to Nigeria as well as Ekiti State, which will naturally end the black market regime, also restated the commitment of the Anti-Vandal Unit to continue with the arrest and seizure of illegal dealers and products of the illicit market without looking at who is involved in the crime which may result into prosecuting offenders of this simple laws and it is amounting to economic sabotage which is punishable under the law of the land.
