NNPC warns Nigerians against adulterated petroleum products

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on Thursday in Abuja forewarned the public to be wary of adulterated petroleum products as three ships conveyed petrol and other commodities to Lagos ports.

The NNPC gave the advice in a statement by Mr Ndu Ughamadu, its Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division.
According to Ughamadu, exercising caution by consumers could forestall explosion, knockdown of engines, equipment or any such other ugly incidents leading to death or injuries.
“The call for caution becomes necessary following reports that products from vandalised pipelines, or adulterated products are being sold to unsuspecting members of the public.
“This has led to untoward incidents involving consumers of petroleum products in parts of the country.
“When in doubt of the quality of a purchase, consumers are advised to seek assistance from any offices of the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, NNPC depots or offices nationwide.
“Products from NNPC depots are subjected to strict quality control to ensure that they are fit for use,’’ he said.
Ughamadu urged motorists and other consumers of petroleum products to desist from panic buying.
“The NNPC has over 32-day sufficiency for petrol and adequate volumes of diesel and kerosene to meet their demand,’’ Ughamadu assured.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), in Anambra, recently arrested seven suspects with three articulated vehicles, carrying 110,000 litres of suspected adulterated petroleum products.
The suspects were arrested between Dec. 15, 2016 and Jan. 21
Two ships laden with petrol are waiting to berth in Lagos ports, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said on Thursday.
The NPA shipping position noted that one other ship was waiting to berth with bulk fertiliser.
It said that 23 ships laden with petroleum products, food items and other goods were expected to arrive in Apapa and Tin-Can Island ports in Lagos from March 30 to April 22.
NPA said that the expected ships contained buck wheat, containers, base oil, bulk corn, bulk sugar, steel products, bulk fertiliser, bulk salt, frozen fish, crude palmolein diesel and petrol.
21 other ships are at the ports discharging bulk fertilisers, buck wheat, empty containers, soy bean, bags of rice, bulk sugar, frozen fish, base oil and diesel.