The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has sealed 19 illegal Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) and Category D cooking gas outlets in Delta State over safety violations and lack of approvals.

Speaking to journalists in Warri on Tuesday, the NMDPRA coordinator in Delta, Engr Victor Ohwodiasa, said the illegal gas outlets were shut down within the past two weeks across Orerokpe, Ogwashi-Ukwu, and Warri.

He explained that during the operations, the agency identified about 28 illegal gas outlets, some of which were wrongly sited and posed serious risks to public safety.

“We sealed these outlets due to various infractions, including lack of prerequisite approvals and unsafe locations,” Ohwodiasa said.

He also condemned the practice of “decanting,” which involves transferring gas from one cylinder to another, describing it as highly dangerous.

The NMDPRA coordinator also noted that the agency regularly engages stakeholders, including gas plant owners and Category ‘D’ operators, to ensure compliance with safety standards.