Oil Marketers Deny N200,000 Extortion Allegation Against Tanker Drivers

The Independent Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has said the N200,000 extortion allegation made against petroleum tanker drivers was false.

This was as the Association urged the Federal Government to grant it a license for the importation of petroleum products.

Recall that a factional arm of the association had on Wednesday, accused the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) of illegal levy imposed on their members, adding that the PTD had allegedly exhibited an act of sabotage on PMS distribution by levying IPMAN members N23,000 for each truck loaded at the depot.

However, IPMAN in a statement signed by its National Secretary, Chief John Kekeocha on Saturday, explained that the statutory monies given to drivers as dispatches where loading expenses were done was mutual.

While noting that IPMAN was fully aware of such transactions, Kekeocha added that it has not raised eyebrows in our relationship with the PTD/NUPENG,” and has called on security agencies to arrest and prosecute anyone out to disrupt the distribution chain of petroleum products in the country

He said: “We are pained with the false allegations and therefore chose to come out to debunk it comprehensively.

“It will be injudicious to mislead the public with your unguided and baseless allegations and we keep quiet over it. But be you of note that he who goes to equity must go with clean hands.”

Meanwhile, the National Executive Committee of IPMAN led by Alhaji Debo Ahmed, has also described the allegation as false saying, “It does not hold water as no such money is paid as alleged.”

In view of this, IPMAN urged its members to jettison any call for a strike action stressing that the leadership has always frowned at sharp practices and illegalities.

“This is why over time the issue of petroleum products diversion is but a thing of the past. This is not to say that there are not still some bad eggs and if you engage in it and you paid the cost doesn’t mean you have to smear the image of the union in bad light.

“Marketers are therefore implored to go about their normal businesses and shun this type of distraction at this time which could be a fabrication of some individuals to put spanners in the smooth running of the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.