Petrol price crashes (DETAILS) | SOLDERS KILLING: Niger–Delta leaders send crucial message to Nigerian Govt

Direct allocation crashes depot’s petrol price

Prices of the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, crashed from N640 per litre to N630 per litre last week as the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) supplied one per cent of the product to independent marketers.

The market started responding positively as soon as the private depots got a wind of NNPCL assurance to supply petrol directly to the independent marketers. Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), National President, Alhaji Abubakar Maigandi broke the news to The Nation on phone at the weekend.

He recalled that the NNPCL Executive Vice President, Downstream, Dapo Segun, assured the marketers that he would be giving them direct product under the Product Finance Initiative Allocation (PFIA). According to Maigandi, the independent marketers are entitled to 50 per cent of product allocation but the only one per cent they have received from NNPCL hasdchanged the narrative.

His words: “The price has started reducing since NNPCL is giving independent marketers their direct allocation. NNPCL said they will give us direct product instead of taking it to private depot to sell it to us at a higher rate. “It has started changing the price now even though they just gave us a small quantity. We are supposed to have 50 per cent of the distribution. Let’s say they have given us one per cent. “Even that one per cent has started changing the situation of the market.’’

Depot price has started reducing. It was previously N640 per litre. But when the rumour came, we will start getting our direct allocation, they reduced it to N630 per litre. NNPCL sells at N570 per litre.” The implication is that the independent marketers would not have to rely on private depots that do not have as many retail outlets as them for product supply.

SOURCE: The Nation

Niger Delta Leaders to FG: Pull Army out of Okuama, other Delta, Bayelsa communities

Monarchs, retired security officers, clerics, and activists in the Niger Delta, yesterday, urged the Federal Government to direct the Army to withdraw its siege to the embattled Okuama community in Ughelli South Local Government Area, Delta State to avert losses of more lives and douse tension in the oil region.

They also asked the criminals who killed 17 military personnel and snatched their weapons on March 14 at Okuama to devise a means to return the arms and ammunition to the appropriate authorities. The stakeholders, who observed that the Army had no business going to Okuama for peace talks over a communal dispute between two communities, suggested the Federal Government sets up an independent commission of inquiry to find out what really happened at Okuama and how to avoid a recurrence.

The leaders also advised government to withdraw soldiers from other communities in Delta and Bayelsa states. Those who spoke include the traditional ruler of Kabowei Kingdom in Delta State, HRM (Barr) Shadrach Peremobowei Erebulu, Aduo III; Wing Commander Patrick Biakpara, retd; Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Bomadi, Most Rev. Hyacinth Oroko Egbebo, and environmentalist, Comrade Alagoa Morris.

Others are the Co-convener, of Embasara Foundation, an Ijaw Think-Tank for Good Governance; Iniruo Wills; ex-Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, president, Eric Omare; and the governorship candidate of Labour Party in the last elections in Bayelsa State, Engr. Udengs Eradiri. The Nigerian Army had since March 15, a day after the lawbreakers killed a lieutenant colonel, two majors, and others at Okuama, laid siege to the community and other neighbouring communities in search of the killers.

Villagers, including women and children, had since fled Okuama and are stranded in the forests for over a week without food, as neighbouring communities, afraid of persecution by prowling soldiers, denied them shelter.

Army has no business with peace talks– Wing Commander Biakpara, retd

Retired Air Force officer, Wing Commander P.Y. Biakpara, said: “I am a military man and there are rules of engagement. Things start from the police and it is only when the situation goes beyond the police that the army is rarely called upon. If there is any small issue, one person will run to the army checkpoint and soldiers will go there, nonsense! That means our army has nothing to do!

“I am not happy about what happened at Okuama and I sympathize with the families of the lost heroes, as well as innocent civilian lives lost in this issue. I’m not happy about the whole thing. “The government should be well advised that they should not use the military in this wrong way, they are using the military very, very carelessly. The military is not made to make peace, and even if they make peace, they will kill people to make that peace.

SOURCE: Vanguard