IPMAN threatens shutdown over Lagos govt’s arrest of 30 drivers, tankers

The Southwest Zone of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association (IPMAN) on Monday threatened to shut down its operations across the region if the 30 tankers arrested by the Lagos State government were not released.

The Chairman of IPMAN Western Zone, Chief Joseph Akanni, stated this while speaking with journalists in Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo State.

Akanni expressed the association’s support for the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) and other stakeholders in the industry over the issue, saying: “Injury to one is injury to all.”

He explained that the 30 tankers, each bearing 45,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), were towed out of Dangote Refinery at about 3:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 22, 2025.

He said the vehicles and drivers were arrested by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) under the Ministry of Transportation in Lagos and were placed at the LASTMA yard in Oshodi.

“So, IPMAN, in solidarity with the PTD, National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), and NUPENG, is standing with other stakeholders to take action against the Lagos State government, especially the Ministry of Transport,” he said.