The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, has demanded partnership with the Katsina State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, in tackling illegal petroleum smuggling.

The state coordinator, National Task Force of IPMAN, Alhaji Ado Garba, made the demand on Wednesday when he led his team on a visit to the NSCDC headquarters in Katsina.

Garba noted that the monitoring and surveillance task force was recently inaugurated nationwide to check activities of illegal oil bunkering, smuggling, pipelines vandalism, adulteration of petroleum products and other sharp practices in the downstream sector.

He said part of the term of reference for the task force was to collaborate with NSCDC as a lead agency and other security agencies in sharing credible intelligence and other operations to address all forms of petroleum and adulteration sharp practices.

According to him, the visit was aimed at having a cordial collaboration between the committee and the NSCDC, with a view to achieving set objectives.

He lauded the NSCDC Commandant in the state, Mr Jamilu Indabawa, for his leadership commitments in promoting safety and security for the state.

Responding, Indabawa assured the task force of the command’s support and cooperation towards achieving its set objectives.

He also highlighted the renewed strategies employed by the command in addressing sharp practices.

IPMAN seeks NSCDC collaboration to combat oil smuggling in Katsina