The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has reiterated its commitment to ensuring that oil marketers intending to increase the prices of petroleum products are checkmated.

The Director of the DPR, Mr George Osahon, assured Nigerians of the availability of petroleum products and at government regulated prices and issued a warning to oil marketers seeking excess profit.

“From the information available to us, the government does not intend to increase the prices of petroleum products, at least definitely not now. I am sure you know some people are already panicking…people are scrambling looking for fuel; it is just not necessary, because there’s no plan on the part of the government to increase prices of petroleum products”, Osahon said.

He further explained that “If there is no need for anybody to panic because there is no increase in prices of petroleum products, there is also no need for anybody to want to profit there.

Warning marketers against taking advantage of the populace, he said: “On our own part, we believe that there should be some element of honesty, sanity and discipline on the part of marketers. Therefore, they should conform to the rules, sell at the normal price.

“We have seen one or two areas where there have been some increases; for example in Enugu, we know they are selling at a small increase of 100 Naira, but at the same time there is no reason to do that. In some outskirts of Ebonyi State, we hear some people are selling at 115 Naira. Our people are out there already and I can assure you that people that have been arrested will be dealt with in accordance with the law.”

He advised Nigerians to go about their normal activities and buy fuel normally.