Polluted Fuel: I wish defaulters could be put to death – Lawmaker

A member of the House of Representatives, Isiaka Ibrahim has conveyed the wish for a capital penalty against those who imported contaminated fuel into Nigeria, thereby, putting citizens in danger.

Mr Ibrahim said he wished the practice in Babylon could be deployed to address the act perpetrated against the people.

He made the remarks while speaking on a motion moved by Mohammed Monguno on the importation of adulterated fuel into the country.

Recall that the NNPC had announced the recall of petroleum products with a high concentration of Methanol imported from Belgium.

While expressing disgust for the action of the importers, Ibrahim explained that if aviation fuel had been contaminated, the consequences would hve been tragic.

“How I wish I can wake the spirit of King Harabi of Babylon, during his day, when safety was established, anyone in his kingdom—who purportedly put that kingdom in danger, what he would do, was to take the first son of that person, and to kill the person, unfortunately, that cannot happen again, because there are no consequences, because we have not been following to the letter, consequences of infraction when it comes to putting the life of Nigerians in danger—because people are getting away with it. This must stop. I want to draw your attention—assuming the so-called contaminated fuel happens to be fuel QAV1, which is aviation fuel, MR Speaker—if they had brought aviation fuel, that is contaminated, and the way vehicles are stopping on the roads, imagine aircraft falling from the air, because of bad fuel.”

Aliu Magaji blamed the collapse of the system on the importation of the contaminated fuel, claiming that there were about 11 inspections that ought to have detected the contamination.

Also speaking in support of the motion, Tajudeen Yusuf, said the people whose vehicles have been damaged from the contamination should be compensated.

Following a long debate, the House resolved that the committees on upstream and downstream should investigate the individuals involved.

In addition, the House directed that the oil marketers involved in the importation be suspended by the NNPC while all agencies involved in the importation be investigated.