IPMAN Withdraws Services In Southeast Over Police Invasion Of Enugu Depot Secretariat
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has directed its members to withdraw their services in the States attached to the Enugu Depot Community.
The Enugu Depot Unit is in charge of Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu States.
The National President of IPMAN, Alhaji Sanusi Fari gave the withdrawal of services order in a Statement on Thursday.
Fari said that the directive was in reaction to an alleged attack and invasion of the IPMAN secretariat in Enugu depot on Thursday by men of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
The president said that such invasion and attack was carried out with impunity and against a subsisting court order.
“Sequel to this ugly development, the National Executive Committee of IPMAN has resolved and directed the withdrawal of our services at Enugu loading depot with immediate effect.
“This will stop our services to members of the public in Enugu, Anambra, and Ebonyi from Sept. 17 until the police illegality is reversed,” Fari said.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Enugu Command, ASP Daniel Ndukwe, said that there was neither a blockade nor an attack on the IPMAN secretariat in Enugu by police operatives from the command.
Ndukwe, rather, said that detectives from Force Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Abuja were on an investigation trip to the IPMAN office.
He said that the detectives came to serve an IPMAN official’s invitation in relation to a court matter.
Recall that on July 30, the Police carried out a similar action in Portharcourt where they attempted without success to evict the Chief George Obele’s leadership and replace him with a faction unknown to the unit.
According to a source in IPMAN, the faction, having failed to ambush the authentic faction in Port Harcourt with the aid of Police are is now trying their luck with Enugu unit.
The source said IPMAN will resist attempts to foist an illegal leadership on it.
