The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, (IPMAN), has threatened to suspend the supply and distribution of products within its designated eastern zone effective Monday.
In a circular signed by Sanusi Fari, the associations national president, IPMAN said the development is due to alleged harassment of its members by the police.
Depots to which IPMAN supplies products in its designated eastern zone include Aba, Calabar, Enugu, Makurdi, and Port Harcourt.
Following the series of unwarranted attacks by the Police against IPMAN, Eastern zone, comprising the National Executive Committee of IPMAN resolved that members withdraw their services at these units/depots immediately until further notice, the circular reads.
IPMAN explained that the notice was to also protest the forceful eviction of a duly-elected executive at the Port Harcourt depot by the police on Friday, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
It said the Fari-led national executive had obtained a court order which legitimised its leadership and wondered why the Police would allow any group of persons to truncate a legitimate exco without due process.
However, in reaction, the spokesperson of the Rivers Police Command, Nnamdi Omoni, explained that the action of the Police was in compliance with a directive based on a supreme court order.
Omoni said both parties were invited by Friday Eboka, the states police commissioner, who read the judgment to them and the directive that the beneficiaries of the judgment should be allowed to enjoy the order.
