Lagos — Following the unilateral increase in pump price of premium motor spirit (petrol) by petroleum marketers in the country, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has said about 55 filling stations across the country have been shut or compelled to sell fuel at government official price.

The Federal Government had on the eve of Christmas directed DPR to mount 24-hour surveillance on filling stations across the country to ensure strict compliance to official pump price.

In a statement by DPR's Assistant Director, Public Affairs, Mrs. Belema Osibodu, yesterday, the agency said Oando filling station at Itire Road was the only major marketer among the two filling stations caught selling fuel above official price in Lagos, while Total filling station at Kaduna Road and Conoil at Suleija were among the 15 stations caught at Abuja.

The statement added that Oando station at Tudun Wada was the only major marketer among the six stations shut down in Kano and environs.

In Sokoto, the only major marketer that made the list of the 12 stations affected was Conoil at Illela Road.

The rest of the 55 stations caught nationwide belong to independent marketers, the statement said.

But THISDAY investigation revealed that some major marketers whose retail outlets are located outside high-brow areas of Ikoyi, Ikeja and Victoria Island in Lagos were selling fuel at N100 per litre.

It was gathered that major marketers, who usually stick to official pump price even at crisis period, were also selling above the official price.

THISDAY's visit to filling stations in the high-brow areas of Lagos yesterday showed that the marketers adhered to the official pump price.

DPR's Lagos Zonal Operation Controller, Mr. Gbenga Koku, told the newspaper last night that the agency caught some marketers, who were involved in profiteering but sanctioning them was a major challenge.

Koku stated that the agency was cautious in handling cases of profiteering owing to the consequences of shutting down filling stations at a time of fuel scarcity.

Executive Secretary of Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), Mr. Obafemi Olawore, however disclosed that the association did not ask its members to increase the pump price and laid the blame at the doorstep of the dealers at the filling stations.

"I want to say that the price hike is not official. No marketer has officially increased prices. It is the dealers that are taking advantage of the scarcity situation. Even if there is enough supply of fuel, they have seen that the situation is very tense and they are taking advantage of the situation. The dealers are doing this because there is shortage of supply," he said.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr. Odein Ajumogobia, had directed the DPR to clamp down on black market operators and marketers, who engaged in profiteering.

Briefing journalists on the development, Director of DPR, Mr. Billy Agha, said the activities of the black market operators and some marketers had worsened the fuel crisis.