In response to the recent scarcity of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, causing overcrowding and tensions at fuel stations across the country, the Ogun State Police Command has initiated a strategic partnership with fuel stations in the state to mitigate the risk of violence.
Omolola Odutola, the Public Relations Officer of the Ogun State Police Command, emphasized the necessity of this collaboration on Thursday. She highlighted that the aim of the partnership is to proactively address the potential outbreak of violence resulting from the overcrowding witnessed at fuel stations.
The urgency of this initiative was underscored by a recent incident, wherein Toheeb Eniasa was tragically shot at a petrol station owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited in the Ikoyi area of Lagos State. According to eyewitness accounts, Eniasa was waiting in the queue to purchase petrol when an altercation ensued between him and two individuals suspected to be military personnel attempting to bypass the queue. The altercation escalated, leading to one of the military personnel firing a fatal shot at Eniasa, plunging the community into fear and apprehension.
Against this backdrop, Odutola disclosed that a meeting was convened with representatives from major fuel stations across Ogun State on Monday, in adherence to directives from the Commissioner of Police, CP Abiodun Alamutu. The meeting aimed to establish collaborative measures to address the challenges posed by the ongoing fuel crisis.
Key stakeholders present at the meeting included representatives from Mobil Filling Station, M. Olaoluwa Filling Station, Gateway Filling Station, MRS. Filling Station, A.A. Rano Filling Station, Teejay Filling Station, and Optima Energy Filling Station, among others.
During the meeting, participants were briefed on the importance of maintaining orderliness and security within their respective stations. They were urged to prevent obstructions to traffic flow, discourage indiscriminate parking of vehicles, minimize rowdiness among customers, and preemptively address any actions that could potentially escalate into chaos.
In addition, Odutola revealed that participants were provided with contact details of Divisional Police Officers to facilitate swift intervention in case of emergencies or security breaches.
As the collaboration between law enforcement agencies and fuel stations intensifies, residents of Ogun State and beyond remain hopeful that these proactive measures will help avert incidents of violence and ensure the smooth distribution of petrol amid the prevailing scarcity.
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