The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Warri zonal office, has sealed six petro-retail outlets and an illegal gas refiling plant over sharp practices in Delta.

Goziem Chukwurah, NMDPRA, head of operations in the Warri office, led a surveillance team of the regulatory authority on Tuesday to seal the stations in Uvwie and Udu Local Government Areas of the state.

The filling stations were sealed over offences bordering on under-dispensing and lack of operational licenses.

The defaulters included Bwede Filling Station, Pius A. Idoghor Oil and Gas, Eshegbe Oil, Fetega Oil, and Sole Energy Enterprise, all in Orhuwhorun town, Udu Local Government Area.

Others are Falcon Bay Oil at PTI Junction and another Falcon Bay Oil located on the DSC expressway, both in Uvwie Local Government Area.

Mr Chukwurah addressed journalists at the end of the exercise on behalf of the NMDPRA coordinator in Delta, Victor Ohwodiasa.

Mr Ohwodiasa said that the purpose of the exercise was to ensure that consumers got value for their money.

“Most of the petrol stations we visited were selling without operational licenses; we have to shut down them and invite the owners to our office.

“We sealed six petrol retail outlets and an illegal gas plant for various offences ranging from lack of operational licenses to under-dispensing of petroleum products to consumers,” he said.

Mr Ohwodiasa urged consumers to report any petroleum marketer who indulged in sharp practices to the regulatory body for appropriate action.

The coordinator assured me that the exercise would be a continuous one until the marketers did the right thing.

Mr Ohwodiasa warned marketers to desist from illegalities to avoid having their stations closed.

Meanwhile, a staff member of Falcon Bay Oil was apprehended for violating the NMDPRA’s seal on their dispensing machine.

The suspect was consequently handed over to the appropriate authority for prosecution.

(NAN)