Abuja Residents Groan As Black Marketers Sell Fuel At N350/litre

Residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have lamented the lingering fuel scarcity in the country as motorists buy petrol for between N300 and N350-litre in Abuja on Monday.

It was learned that some Abuja residents have continued to lament the increase in the price of petrol and the difficulties experienced in accessing the product.

The queues for petrol in Abuja has never ceased since February this year, but it grew worse in neighbouring states of Nasarawa and Niger on Sunday as motorists searched for PMS to use to move around during the Sallah break.

Oil marketers have denied claims of products’ hoarding or diversion, saying that the insufficient petrol supply by NNPC and the non-payment of bridging claims for the transportation of petrol were the key reasons for the scarcity.

In an interview with The Punch, the National Secretary, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Chief John Kekeocha, said that more trucks had loaded products and were heading Abuja.

He said, “We are hopeful that very soon the queues in Abuja and environs will clear if all things remain equal and there is no continued agitation for payment of bridging claims.

“On price disparity, this is because many marketers bought their products at higher rates above what was approved by the government and they have to get the required margin in order to remain in business.”

Kekeocha added, “However, there has been no official pronouncement of any review in petrol price whether upward or otherwise. So the official price of petrol still remains at the N165/litre government-approved rate.”