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The Adamawa State Government on Tuesday waded into the feud between the state branch of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, and the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, which led to a strike by IPMAN.
Complaining that operatives of NCS were illegally seizing trucks of petrol from its members, IPMAN started a strike by shutting their filling stations since the morning of Monday, July 24, which had by Tuesday morning led to acute shortage of petrol, resultant hike in price and consequent increase in transport fares.
Reacting to the situation Tuesday afternoon, however, the Adamawa State Deputy Governor, Professor Kaletapwa Farauta, called a meeting between representatives of the NCS and IPMAN and urged middle-ground decisions that could lead to fuel being readily available around the state once more.
Addressing journalists shortly after the meeting that lasted three hours, Farauta said both parties in dispute had said they would sort out their issues.
“As a family, we have all agreed to sheath our swords and ensure the return of normalcy to reduce hardship on the people,” she said.
The Area Controller of the Adamawa/Taraba Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Garba Bashir told newsmen that the command would resolve the matter with IPMAN in the spirit of mediation by the state government.
Bashir, reiterating that the NCS is not against legitimate activities of IPMAN, said, “The Deputy governor asked us to reconvene, and I am sure the matter would be resolved by tomorrow,” he said.
The state Secretary of IPMAN, Abdulmalik Bello who also spoke to newsmen after the meeting, said the association agreed to call off the strike.
He said he was returning to his office at IPMAN and he and other executives would get across to members with a view to reopening their filling stations.
