IPMAN Threatens Service Withrawal From South-East

Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has threatened to withdraw its services totally from the Eastern part of Nigeria if harassment and intimidation of its members by security agencies continue without check from the Federal Government.
This was contained in a statement by the Eastern Zonal Chairman, Prince Bobby Eberechi Dick on Friday, which was made available to newsmen.
The Zonal IPMAN alleged that some miscreants, who are not members, and without having filling stations, went ahead to secure the services of security agencies to harass and intimidate its members.
According to the statement, “the IPMAN, Eastern Zone, wish to draw the attention of the Federal Government to the incessant harassment and intimidation of our members by security Agencies.
“Few days ago some miscreants who are not members of our association, who do not have even one filling station, went and secured the services of the Nigerian Police, the Army, the Civil Defence to block the gate of private depots where we load petroleum products in Rivers state, saying every IPMAN member must pay a levy of N15,000.00 before our members can load.
“Also, on the claim by one of them, Mr Aliche Oti, that petroleum tanker drivers are holding IPMAN levy, to put the record straight, petroleum tanker drivers don’t collect IPMAN’s levy. IPMAN staff are deployed to all the depots to do their legitimate work. It is the IPMAN that buys products and hires the services of tanker drivers.
“When the report got to the Zonal Executive Council of Eastern Zone, investigation was carried out to know where they are deriving their powers from and on what bases. We found out it was an act of intimidation to force our members to do the wish of their pay masters.
“IPMAN has legitimate constituted authority headed by our National President, Alhaji Ahmed Dhebo.
“Based on this act of harassment and intimidation, we have withdrewn our services from all the private depots in Rivers State. We are calling on the Federal Government, especially our dogged Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike to intervene.
“We know the Governor cannot allow anyone to disrupt the good business environment he has created in River State, knowing that it will cause a serious scarcity in the State and neighbouring states.
“If this harassment, intimidation and blockage of the depots where we are doing our legitimate business is not addressed, we will have no other choice than to shut down all stations within the Eastern Zone.
“We are law abiding citizens, guided by the constitution of IPMAN and constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. With IPMAN, the distribution of petroleum products within the zone is assured,” the statement concluded.