Motorists, commuters groan as petrol scarcity hits Abuja

Despite repeated assurances from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Limited) that petrol scarcity nightmare has been brought under control, Abuja motorists and commuters are facing hell over the persisting insufficiency of the vital commodity, which is disrupting businesses in the Federal Capital Territory.

Filling stations visited by Saturday Sun had horrendous queues around them as motorists struggled to get the product. In some places, chaos ruled as security operatives struggled to ensure tranquility reigned.

From Berger to Central business district, Wuse to Kubwa and Lugbe, the horror was the same. Black marketers leveraged on the pains of motorists to sell petrol at N1,200/litre.

A civil servant, Amina Gambo, expressed her frustration while waiting at the Lugbe Federal Housing junction for close to two hours trying to get a cab to the Federal Secretariat.

She said: “I have been standing here for almost two hours trying to hail a taxi to work but I have not been able to get any. I hate to resume office late so I wake up and prepare myself for work on time. Unfortunately today, I have been here since 7:30 Am. It is almost 10:Am already.”

A Driver, Mr Abel John, who had been waiting in one of the queues, described the situation as horrific and blamed the government for being ‘insensitive’ to the plight of Nigerians.

He said: “This government is wicked and always bent on making us suffer. I do not understand if they enjoy seeing us suffer. I have been in this queue for more than four hours and I have not been able to get fuel. I know how much I would have made already if I was working with this time that I have spent here. I do not know what the problem is again. They said fuel subsidy, now they have removed fuel subsidy and making us buy the fuel at outrageous rates, yet we cannot even buy with ease.

“Again, they told us that they have rebranded NNPC for efficiency but I cannot see any improvement at all. it has even become worse than it was.

John further added that: “The government needs to do something urgently to address this issue of fuel scarcity once and save Nigerians all this unnecessary stress”

Also lamenting the situation, Mr Anyebe Samuel, an e-Taxi hailing driver said he had to wake up in the wee hours of the morning enable him get fuel.

Samuel further bemoaned the refusal of some e-cab hailing companies to review their prices to reflect current realities.

“I had to wake up as early as 5am to go get fuel at one of the filling stations in Kubwa, yet I met a long queue and spent several hours there. I bought at the rate of N690 per liter. I know someone who bought at N750 per liter .

He added that: “If the fuel situation does not improve by tomorrow (Friday), I plan to park my car for a while because I cannot continue to operate at a loss. The price is still the same on the App, despite all that we are going through here. After working, by the time they remove their commission, you will see that you have nothing left. It is not encouraging at all.”

A Journalist, Madam Joan Nwagwu, said she bought five liters of fuel at the black market for N600 to enable her go to work. “After work today, I will plan to roam the streets of Abuja to find where I can buy fuel, because, I do not have enough to serve me till tomorrow and I cannot afford to pay another N6,000 for 5 liters at the black market.” She said,