Abuja residents are in for a tough time as fuel queues have returned to the nation’s capital. Motorists are battling to get fuel for their vehicles across filling stations in the capital city. The resultant effects are the long queues witnessed by Nigerian Tribune, which have slowed down economic activities.
Expectedly, the scarcity has affected transport fares as motorists now charge more, apparently due to the unavailability of the ‘black gold’. Most filling stations are under lock and key, while the ones that are selling are not easily accessible, as motorists, black marketers, and ‘area boys’ are battling for available space to attend to their ‘customers’.
There are long queues at NNPC retail outlets along Computer Village and the one at Zone 4, Total Energies Area 11 opposite Force Headquarters. Azman Oil, also in the same axis, Conoil and Total Energies, both at the Central Business District (CBD) opposite the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
The black marketers, however, are smiling to the banks as motorists who do not have the patience to join the queues patronize them, despite selling at N1,000 per litre. In the same vein, the touts are also having a field day as motorists who are ready to ‘bribe their way’ to the nozzle grease their palms to get fuel for their vehicles.
Nigerian Tribune, however, observed that there are longer queues at the NNPC retail outlets owing to the fact that their prices are cheaper. While they are selling at N617 per litre, the independent marketers are selling between N680 and N720.
Also, the gates of the ever-busy Shema Oil along the Abuja-Keffi road were under lock and key, and motorists did not have the choice but to buy from the black marketers or be stranded. It was the same story at Mararaba, Nyanya, New Nyanya, and Masaka, all in Nasarawa State.
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Motorists now charge between N600 and N700 for a trip that was N500 before the scarcity. Motorists, Keke NAPEP operators, and commuters who spoke with Nigerian Tribune expressed their displeasure at the sudden turn of events, which has compounded the sufferings they are already battling. They charged the government to find a lasting solution to the lingering crisis so that life can return back to normal.
“I have been noticing this since yesterday (Wednesday) but it became full-blown today and nothing is being done. We have suffered enough under this government, and they should please not compound our problems. What is the government doing in all this? We are tired. The government must find a way out of this logjam. To get vehicles to where one is going is one thing, to be able to afford the fare is another thing. In just two days, I know how much I have spent on fare from and to my office. It is very frustrating,” says a federal civil servant who gave his name as Michael.