Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has called on Nigerians across the Nation against the mishandling of Petroleum Products as the Corporation assured of Petroleum Products availability during festive period, while also reiterating that as the dry season draws near in the Country, there is need to be safety cautious.
The Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, in a statement released on Wednesday in Abuja, stated that experience had shown that commuters stock petroleum products at home or move about with them in their vehicle boot at this period of the year, exposing themselves and others to serious danger.
Ughamadu said the incident involving a car laden with fuel which burst into flames while in motion last week at Umuode community, Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Area of Abia State, exemplified the danger of transporting inflammable petroleum products in a vehicle not made for that purpose.
The corporation’s spokesman admonished communities hosting NNPC facilities to refrain from taping products from NNPC pipelines or engaging in activities that may lead to a spill of petroleum products, saying individuals involved in such an act may suffer untold casualties.
He encouraged communities in NNPC’s areas of operations to report suspicious movements around the corporation’s facilities to the law enforcement agencies, adding that observing basic safety rule of keeping away from areas where inflammable petroleum products spills had occurred could save lives and properties.
Recently, fatalities were recorded while property worth millions of Naira were lost when some members of Umuaduru and Umuimo communities in Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Area of Abia State were caught in a fire while they were reportedly scooping petrol around NNPC pipeline in their community.
Meanwhile, the Group Managing Director, Dr. Maikanti Baru, has assured motorists and other consumers of oil and Gas products of availability of white products for their comfort as the year-end festivities draw near.