6 arrested as DPR uncovers illegal oil factories in Lagos

Efforts at curbing illegal businesses in the down­stream petroleum sector yielded some fruits yesterday with the arrest of six persons alleged to be working in an il­legal engine oil manufacturing factory in Lagos.

Two of such factories were uncovered by the Depart­ment of Petroleum Resourc­es (DPR) at Ikugbayi Street in Marine Bridge and Raji Rasa­ki Estate at FESTAC Town Ex­tension, both in Lagos.

According to Mr. Ajayi Olaleye, who led the Nigeri­an Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) operatives in the raid, the six workers were arrested at the Marine Bridge factory and none yet at the FASTAC site.

The DPR Manager, Engi­neering and Standards, Mrs. Sholabi Olanrewaju, told newsmen that the factories were discovered during the team’s routine inspection and monitoring exercise in the state. She stated: “We visited these places with NSCDC and met some men actually dis­pensing the base oil.

“From our investigation, they are actually retailing or­dinary base oil without addi­tives into a container of a well-known brand like Total. This is an illegal operation; the en­vironment is unsafe and they are licenced to brand base oil.”

She assured that the DPR would sort out those illegal lubricants in the Lagos me­tropolis, adding that before anybody could engage in pe­troleum product business in the country, such person must be licensed by the agency.

Similarly, the DPR Manag­er, Retail Outlet and Market­ing, Mr. Okechukwu Okoro, told newsmen after the exer­cise that the clampdown fol­lowed complaints from the public, upon which investi­gation the department dis­covered that there was high adulteration of diesel in the market.

“So, we came to see if it is true and have found this to be real,” he said. “Many peo­ple who supply diesel at home gave them adulterated diesel, which is not from the real source. People should ensure that they get their diesel from the right source because these people mix other products in the name of diesel.”