The war of word over the persistent fuel crisis in Ilorin, Kwara State capital assumed a new dimension yesterday as Operation Controller of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in the state, Mr Salvation Philip, vowed that he would not compromise his stand on the enforcement of government's approved price of petroleum products in the state.

He insisted that his deployment in the state was to enforce the laws and regulations governing oil and gas industry and would not because of needless grievances in some quarters, succumb to cheap blackmail.

A litre of fuel stands at N86 in NNPC retail outlets while other stations dispense at N86.50k in line with directive by the Federal Government despite the current acute shortage of the commodity nationwide, Ilorin inclusive.

This is just as a faction of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) in the state had reportedly demanded the redeployment of the state Operation Controller of DPR over his alleged rigidity and high handedness in the sale of fuel and the likes in the state.

A statement credited to the factional chairman of IPMAN in the state, Olanrewaju Okanlawon, quoted him as saying that the continuous stay of DPR boss in the state posed threat to their business.

Olanrewaju lamented that marketers find it difficult buying fuel from Federal Government depots and resorted to private ones at higher price, adding that the DPR should allow the market forces to determine the price they sell. The IPMAN boss wanted the relevant authority to redeploy Mr Salvation from the state and dispatch a new helmsman that would allow discussion and understand their plight.

But Philip insisted that those seeking his redeployment were merely wasting their precious time. In a telephone interview with The Herald in Ilorin yesterday, the DPR operation controller said his style of operation would not change since he was duty-bound to protect the interest of consumers.

He stated that he would not abdicate his responsibility by giving some unscrupulous individuals leverage to make life unbearable for fuel users. Philip told The Herald that he had received death threats while some even daringly came physical to attack him.

"I'm here (Kwara) to enforce the laws and regulations governing petroleum industry. This is my job. I am to protect the interest of consumers to ensure absolute compliance to regulations.

"Those calling for my redeployment are wasting their precious time. It is a blackmail aimed to deter me from doing my job. I won't succumb to cheap blackmail. It is high time we all submit ourselves to the supremacy of the rule of law. Until we do that, we won't get it right.

"I cannot abdicate my responsibility. It is my job. I have received death threats and even my staff. Sometimes, they came physical", Philip said.