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.