DPR Shut Down 103 Illegal Filling Stations

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has sealed 103 illegal filling stations and 13 gas plants in Lagos State.

The filling stations and gas plants located on the mainland and island axis in Lagos were shut for operating without valid licences and for non-compliance with DPR guidelines and international safety standards.

According to the DPR’s Zonal Operations Controller for Lagos, Mr Ayorinde Cardoso, officials of the Department had on Monday conducted a surveillance where the erring stations were identified.

Cardoso said: “This is a continuous exercise by the DPR to improve safety in selling and distribution of LPG in Lagos State. The task force visited 216 facilities and observed that 103 petroleum products retail outlets lacked the prerequisite approval and were subsequently shut down,” he said.

Cardoso also said the LPG (cooking gas) plants were shut for operating without prerequisite approval or license from the regulatory agency.

He said some of the sealed plants were operating in unapproved locations, stressing that the move was aimed at reducing the occurrence of gas explosion and fire incidents in Lagos State.

Recall that the DPR announced that it shut down 86 Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) plants in Lagos State in 2020 for operating illegally.