The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), has seized a vessel, MT JAZI, loaded with 1.5 million litres of contaminated petroleum product while discharging at Nakem Jetty, Kirikiri, Lagos.

Mr Mordecai Ladan, Director, DPR, told journalists in Lagos that the vessel was intercepted on February 11 and discovered to be without it’s authorization to deliver product at the depot.

Ladan, who was represented by Mr Wole Akinmosoye, Zonal Operations Controller, Lagos, said the vessel is still under the custody of the Nigerian Navy for further investigation.

He reiterated that DPR has no record of any product importation by Nakem.

“We also have no record of any throughput arrangement of the facility with a third party for product storage at the time,’’ he said.

Ladan said the DPR later drew samples from the tanks at the facility for laboratory analyses, adding that it was confirmed that the product was actually off specification.

He said the product failed all the basic parameters, especially with regards to flashpoint and specific gravity.

The DPR boss said the product being dumped at Nakem did not meet the standard specifications of any white product.

According to him, the depot had been shut by the agency since February 12 and the vessel placed under the Nigerian Navy custody, adding that the product would eventually be evacuated for quarantine by the appropriate government agency.

“We wish to use this medium to reiterate our position on zero tolerance to illegal activities in the depots across the nation and unlading of off-spec product in the facilities.

“As we have always stressed, depot operators should be reminded that the agency will not tolerate landing of products of untraceable source at the depots,” NAN quoted Ladan as saying.

The director said the agency would continue to work tirelessly to guarantee products integrity at the depots and forestall the flow of adulterated products into the retails outlets.