Security agencies have begun the probe of companies and individuals allegedly involved in the importation of toxic fuel into Nigeria, THISDAY investigation has revealed.
This is coming as many filling stations were still under lock and key in Abuja and Lagos on Saturday while the few that were selling petrol had long queues, despite the desperate efforts by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to bring the situation under control in the last one week.
The importation and circulation of adulterated petrol had resulted in damage to vehicle engines across many parts of the country.
It also affected the supply chain, causing long queues in Lagos and Abuja as filling stations shut down to clean up their tanks.
The situation is considered in security circles to have far-reaching economic and security implications.
THISDAY gathered that intelligence agencies invited companies involved in the scam, and they are presently undergoing interrogation.
Presidency sources confirmed to THISDAY that the masterminds of such a deadly importation would be held accountable as heads would roll over the development.
“Security agencies have commenced detailed investigation into circumstances that led to the importation of toxic fuel into the country.
“We are looking at who played what role and who did what. Many heads will roll. So far, all parties concerned are saying what they know. The government is not taking it lightly. Security agencies are on it,” a presidency source told THISDAY.
“It has security and economic implications. Investigations will involve all of them and heads will roll.
“At corporate and individual levels, they are cooperating and providing information about their involvement.
“It’s not out of place to investigate. Do you expect such a thing will happen without investigation when the president has ordered a probe?
“Critical players are being invited. The probe will be very comprehensive and heads will roll. Everyone, who played whatever role will be established”, another source explained.
The NMDPRA had alerted Nigerians over its discovery of petrol imported into the country that contained methanol above Nigeria’s specification.
The methanol-blended petrol, which is not made for Nigeria, made its way into the country.
The quantity was said to be within the range of 200 million litres.
The NNPC handles all the imports through its ‘Crude-for-fuel’ contracts, also known as Direct Sale, Direct Purchase (DSDP).
The agency conducted the business through a consortium of local and foreign oil firms.
Each consortium is said to have received about 20,000 barrels per day of crude oil in exchange for products, making the combined total of about 320,000bpd of Nigeria’s output.
The consortium, according to NNPC, includes MRS, Oando, EMADEB/Hyde/AY Maikifi/Brittania and Duke Oil.
The NNPC, consequently, accused the four petroleum suppliers it engaged in the crude-for-petrol of culpability.
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr Timipre Sylva, later promised that government would compensate those whose car engines were affected by the toxic fuel.
But the contractors denied responsibility.
Meanwhile, many filling stations were still under lock and key in Abuja and Lagos on Saturday while the few that were selling petrol had long queues, despite the desperate efforts by the NNPC Limited to bring the situation under control in the last one week.
Majority of the dispensing centres visited by THISDAY in the two major cities did not have the product while those that were selling, including the NNPC, had long queues of buyers lined up.
Recently, the national oil company had taken a multi-pronged approach to halt the pains encountered by Nigerians as a result of the nationwide fuel shortage.
Among other measures, the NNPC had announced that between last week and the end of February, it was expecting at least 2.3 billion litres of the product to berth in Nigeria.
Although in the last few days, there had been considerable movement of trucks within Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), many of the streets had remained clogged by traffic due to the prevailing condition.
In addition, the NNPC stated that in collaboration with other stakeholders, it was embarking on a 24-hour service, noting that Nigerians could buy the product round the clock in filling stations.
Besides, it announced that at the moment, the nation has over one billion litres of petrol in stock, adding that all the fuel in circulation in the country is now certified safe after successfully withdrawing the bad fuel that disrupted supply.
But THISDAY observed that many filling stations were still not selling the product yesterday, despite all the measures put in place by the sole supplier.
In both Lagos Island and the mainland, long queues of vehicles were seen at the few filling stations selling petrol.
It was also a brisk business for the ‘black market’ operators, who were selling one litre of the product for N300 – N500, depending on the location.
At Oando in Mabushi, near the Ministry of Works in Abuja, the gates were still locked while there was no petrol at Total filling station on Sultan Abubakar way, Zone 1, although cars were in the queues.
There were also no sales at the Enyo filling station, near GSM Village, and the Total Filling Station on Herbert Macaulay Street.
But at the NNPC mega station on Olusegun Obasanjo Way, sales were ongoing, but a long queue of almost one kilometre was observed.
However, unlike in the past two weeks when motorists blocked the road, some level of sanity has returned.
In the outskirts of Abuja, motorists and commuters were still largely stranded due to their inability to access petrol to get to their destinations.
Many commuters were forced to abandon their vehicles on the road in frustration.
At the Karshi, Orozo, Jikwoyi axis of the FCT, motorists spent hours in queues waiting to be served in the few filling stations that had the product to sell.
Long queues were also on both sides of the Karshi-Nyanya expressway, causing gridlock that stretched down the roads for kilometres.