PTD-NUPENG threatens strike over seizure of loaded trucks by IGP team

The National Secretariat of the Tanker Drivers Branch of the Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers of Nigeria, PTD-NUPENG, has issued a two-week strike notice to the Nigerian government.

In a statement issued on Thursday by the National President of the Union, Augustine Egbon and made available to DAILY POST in Abuja, PTD-NUPENG accused the Inspector General of Police, Team IGP of seizing the trucks loaded with members .

Egon said the development has now vindicated the union’s calls to its members to withdraw their trucks from petrol depots.

He accused the IGP Police Task Force of excessive harassment despite fuel shortages at retail outlets across the country, stressing that their strike would cripple the loading of petroleum products and ultimately would result in shortages at retail outlets.

The Union called on the IGP, Michael Egbetokun, to intervene before the ultimatum expires, failure of which they insist, members will down tools.

Recently, PTD-NUPENG at its NE.C meeting in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital, urged the IGP to stop the tampering of its petroleum product task force, which impounds tankers in federal roads.

The Union regretted that two trucks fully loaded with Automotive Diesel Fuel (AGO) were seized by the task force between July and August in Funtua, Katsina State and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and have not been released despite documentary evidence of the depots where products were loaded

The statement said: “We have genuine certification from the statutory regulatory agencies, the IGP office has ignored and refused to release the trucks.

“The truck with registration number GRY 155XA loaded 49,000 liters of AGO to Prudent Energy Limited in Oghara, Delta State. The destination was Sokoto but was impounded at Funtua, Katsina State on July 31, 2024 .

“The second truck with registration number, TWD272XA, with 45,000 liters of AGO loaded the products at Integrated Oil & Gas in Apapa, Lagos. It was destined for Yobe State before it was impounded in August in Abuja .

“Although the samples of the products from the two trucks were certified by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Products Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, the office of the Task Force team of the Inspector General of Police has remained adamant and refused to release the loaded trucks.

We have submitted authentic documents to the Police that the products were genuine at the time of loading. The IGP office has continued to ignore us.

“At our last NEC meeting, we issued them a deadline, demanding the release of the seized trucks and an end to the continued harassment of our members”