Operations Controller of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in Gombe, Mr. Abdullahi Abawa, says his office will intensify efforts at uncovering and sanctioning illegal petroleum stations operating in the hinterlands of the State.
He stated this after he led an operation where eleven petroleum filling stations were sealed for various offenses, among them, six that were operating with expired licenses.
He said, the discovery after the operations showed that most of the filling stations in the hinterlands could be culpable since limited attention was given to operators of these stations outside the urban areas.
During the operations that was carried out along with Journalists, Mr. Abawa noted that his office will henceforth intensify efforts aimed at sanitizing the operations of petrol stations in villages and semi urban towns so that consumers will get value for their money.
Mr. Abawa who cautioned car users against panic purchase of fuel for their cars, assured that there was enough fuel in the State to last the Yuletide season and even beyond.
During the operations, six stations were sealed for operating with expired licenses, three stations were sealed for gross under dispensing of PMS from their pumps while one station was sealed for diverting 30,000 liters of PMS.
Another station was sealed for indiscriminate parking of trucks at their outlet as well as keeping a dirty environment, making a total of eleven stations sealed for various offenses.