The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has accused security agencies destroying trucks carrying premium motor spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, they had lifted from refineries of worsening scarcity in the country.
This was made known by the chairman of petroleum tanker drivers (PTD), a branch of the NUPENG, Lucky Osesua, while speaking at a news conference in Abuja.
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Osesua asserted that the military on Tuesday night destroyed two trucks conveying high pour fuel oil (HPFO) popularly known as black oil. Adding that the trucks had lifted the black oil from a modular refinery — Walter Smith Refinery and Petrochemical Ibigwe — in Imo state.
According to the Chairman, the PTD chairman said the trucks marked, EFR 770 XA and AFZ 351 ZY, were intercepted in Rivers, where they were burnt.
He said; “The trucks laden with 40,000 litres of black oil were on their way to Bob & Sea Depot Koko Delta state,” he said while showing reporters receipts and pictures of the burnt trucks.
“The drivers presented way bills, NUPENG receipts, and quality control documents but the military men still insisted that they carried crude oil. They drove the two trucks away and burnt them between Ahoada and Elele in Rivers state, on Tuesday night.
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“Without investigation, without reaching out to the refinery where the drivers mentioned that they lifted the black oil, the soldiers burnt down the trucks in less than five hours.
“Enough is enough about the high-handedness of our security agents.
“They should stop demonising our union and persecuting our men who are doing their normal businesses. We expect that in this modern world, trained security agents should be able to identify black oil as against crude oil.
“We should not be at the receiving end of their ignorance.”
Osesua lamented that such situations have adversely affected their ability to supply products across the country.
Nigerians are currently experiencing a widespread petrol scarcity which has protracted for several weeks, affecting the means of livelihood of citizens.