Fuel Scarcity Hits Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt

By Uche Mbah

Long queues at filling stations – where they agree to sell – resurfaced in parts of Lagos Tuesday after similar reports  from Abuja.

For the second day running, Gas Stations were sending commuters away claiming no supply. Expectedly, this has resulted in panic buying and hoarding of premium motor spirits, PMS, popularly known as Petrol.

At Egbeda-ikotun road, it was chaos at Mobil Filling Station, with many struggling to buy from one nuzzle. The problem was compounded by reduced and rationed power supply, resulting in many okada people and pedestrians with jerry cans seeking fuel for generators, clustering round the fuel pump.

Reports indicate that there was no difference in Lagos Island, Ikeja, Ojota, and Apapa. Alimosho, Agege, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, LASU-Iba Road, Ikoyi, and so many other places are reportedly locked down.

Reports over the weekend suggested that as early as Saturday, the scarcity was building up in Abuja and Port Harcourt. Traffic controllers are having hard times with doing their jobs due to pandemonium caused by the gridlocks.

Sources within the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, indicate that the last batch of imported fuel was contaminated, and NNPC had to withdraw it from the market, resulting in a temporary scarcity.