Fuel scarcity persists nationwide

After some days of respite, fuel scarcity  worsened in different parts of the country on Saturday.

Reports by our correspondents from different states indicated that many petrol stations were still not selling fuel, while others had long queues of vehicles.

Black marketeers were seen hawking fuel on the streets in some major towns and state capitals.

In Lagos, our correspondent observed that queues had reappeared at some petrol stations, while some that had dispensed fuel earlier in the week were shut on Saturday.

In Ilorin, Kwara State capital, the fuel scarcity had also worsened.

Our correspondent, who visited some petrol stations in Ilorin, observed that they were not selling the product to their customers.

However, black marketeers were seen selling fuel at some spots in the town.

From Osun Sate, our correspondent reports there were still queues at few petrol stations that were selling fuel at the official rate of N97 per litre.

The other fuel stations were shut, while some sold at the rate of N110.

In Port Harcourt, Rivers State, our correspondent reports that  fuel scarcity had not abated since it began.

Most of the residents depend on black marketeers for their fuel supply.

While some few petrol stations sold the product at N130 per litre or N1,300 for 10 litres, those selling in containers sold 10 litres for between N1,700 to N2,000.

In Enugu State, there were no queues in most fuel stations on Saturday.

Motorists told our correspondent they had since opted for buying fuel at between N125 and N140, hence the disappearance of queues at petrol stations.

In Kaduna, our correspondent observed there weren’t many vehicles on the road in the metropolis, apparently due to the lingering fuel scarcity.

Most of the petrol stations were shut while there were long queues at the ones that were selling fuel on Saturday.

Some stations in Kaduna metropolis sold fuel for as much as N110 per litre.

Apart from the complaints of inability to lift petroleum products by managers of some petrol stations, the shutting of the operations of Nigerian Independent Petroleum Company by the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, is believed to have compounded fuel situation.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that NIPCO operational headquarters at Apapa, Lagos, was shut on Friday with more than 100 trucks on queue at the loading bay.

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