Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Rivers chapter, has given 48 hours ultimatum to Police to vacate its secretariat, or it would shut down its services in the state.
In a statement released in Port Harcourt, State Chairman of IPMAN, Joseph Obele, alleged that police takeover of their secretariat has affected loading and dispensing of petroleum products as well as its administrative functions.
He also frowned at what he described as consistent harassment of IPMAN leadership in Rivers State by some Police officers allegedly directed by an undisclosed Deputy Inspector General of Police (IGP).
Obele said: “The consistent interference of some officers of Nigeria Police with claims to have the directive of a particular DIG, Abuja, and by that, are now harassing and intimidating the authentic elected leadership of IPMAN, in collaboration with some miscreants who are not even members of IPMAN, can no longer be accepted by us.”
“Our national executive committee under the leadership of our national president, Engr. F. Sanusi, has directed that we should remain calm and peaceful and call for higher authorities to intervene.
“We shall remain calm and continue with loading activities and dispensing to the general public.”
IPMAN has also called on the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, and the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, to call on the officers to vacate its secretariat to order to avoid fuel scarcity in the state.
He urged: “We, hereby, call on the intervention of the governor of Rivers State, Inspector General of Police, Rivers State Commissioner of Police and the Director of DSS (Department of Security Service) to withdraw such officers of the Nigeria Police within 48 hours from our secretariat at Alesa Eleme.”
“We shall be left with no option than to withdraw our services as soon as possible, if urgent intervention is not taken.”