The Nigerian military has read the riot act to marketers of premium motor spirit (PMS) popularly known as petrol, to find a lasting solution to the lingering scarcity plaguing the country, or face military clampdown.
This is as group chief executive officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mele Kolo Kyari, has admitted that the fuel crisis situation has become a crisis of monumental proportions.
Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, yesterday read the riot act during a engagement with Industry and Security Stakeholders in Abuja yesterday to tackle to fuel supply crisis.
General Irabor, who stressed that the federal government is not handicapped on what to do, urged the marketers and other stakeholders to address the situation urgently.
“The challenge of availability of fuel across the country has risen to a proportion that has become of great concern to the defence and security of our country.
“I have mandate of Mr President to come to say that because the fuel scarcity is a crisis of internal nature, which of course the police and other
security agencies should lead. And looking at the processes that have been emplaced to redress them, the solution lies in this room.
Government is not handicapped and there are alternatives. I need to also indicate that nobody is indispensable.
“But if it goes beyond the threshold that affects our defense and security, the government is actually not handicapped. There is an alternative.
“I believe and trust that solution will come. And if there is no solution, let me reiterate that government is not handicapped. And there is alternative, but I pray that it will not get to the level where the alternative will need to be activated,” the CDS said.
Also speaking, the inspector general of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, said the Police will assist the NNPC in monitoring the process of fuel distribution to ensure we end this crisis.
He added if the distribution process is lacking or there are just loopholes to be avoided by those who want to exploit it, the alternative to increase the level of monitoring and supervision.
