Abuja: The Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Abeokuta Field Office, on Monday sealed two filling stations in Ogun over alleged regulatory violations. NMDPRA said the sealing was part of efforts to enforce compliance, protect consumers from sharp practices, and ensure that petroleum marketers dispense the correct quantity of products across the state.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the surveillance team, led by Mr. Olufemi Adebowale, Head of Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure (DSSRI), sealed Mangerborn Energy and Mobil filling stations located on the Akute/Ajuwon axis in Ifo Local Government Area. Speaking during the exercise, Adebowale stated that the action became necessary due to repeated breaches of regulatory requirements by the affected filling stations.
He explained that records available to the authority show that Mangerborn Energy has consistently violated regulatory compliance by under-dispensing petroleum products, illegally breaking official seals placed on the facility, and resuming operations without authorization. Such actions, he noted, were in violation of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 and undermine efforts to protect consumers from exploitation.
Adebowale emphasized that the NMDPRA is carrying out a lawful enforcement on the facility, highlighting the company’s ongoing violations. He stressed the importance of adhering to the rules to prevent under-dispensing and unauthorized operations. The authority had been monitoring the station’s activities since last year, noting that the violations were persistent despite several enforcement actions.
He revealed that the affected station had been sealed no fewer than six times within the period but continued to remove the authority’s seals and ignore invitations extended by the regulator. On the sanctions awaiting the operators, Adebowale stated that the authority had served the stations with enforcement notices, and the facilities would remain shut until all stipulated conditions were met.
Furthermore, Adebowale mentioned that the NMDPRA management would consider suspending the operating license of the affected stations. He warned that any further attempt to tamper with the seals or resume operations illegally would attract prosecution. The affected stations have been served letters and shut down until they meet necessary conditions, including payment of applicable penalties.