Fuel Queues Resurface in Lagos

Sunday Ehigiator

Motorists seeking to buy Petroleum Motor Spirit, PMS, yesterday in Lagos State, were met with unprecedented numbers of fueling stations refusing to sell fuel and long queues at the premises of the few fueling stations selling

THISDAY’s gathering revealed that except for the mobile filling station located at Irawo, and some selected filling stations like BOVAS, Total, North West, and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) filling station in Ikeja, and other parts of Lagos, no other filling stations sold fuel in Ikeja, Fadeyi, Berger Road, and  Ikorodu Road, amongst other areas  visited by THISDAY

The Total Filling station at Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Mobile at Irawo, and other NNPC filling stations in Ikeja which were selling, witnessed heavy queues, which led to congestion around the Ikeja axis.

Numerous filling stations along the Ikeja axis, particularly along Obafemi Awolowo Road, Ikorodu Road, and Airport Road, were observed to be closed, despite selling fuel the previous night.

The situation prompted some motorists to hike their fares, reflecting the challenges faced by commercial transport operators.

Speaking to THISDAY, a motorist at the filling station said, “We suspect that fuel is about to rise to N1,000 per litre. That is why these other filling stations are not selling fuel.

“Even this Mobil that is selling, is selling theirs at N615 per litre. I bought fuel here yesterday at N585. Tell me what happened between yesterday night when I bought fuel and today that made them jack up the price to N615. Yet, we still have to queue up.

“I have been here since 11 am. Look at the time, it is 4 pm already. It means I didn’t work today and spent the whole day here at the filling station. This isn’t nice. So what was the essence of the subsidy removal?”

Reacting to the situation, the NNPCL spokesperson, Mr Femi Soneye, dismissed insinuations of fresh fuel scarcity in an interview with the press.

Soneye disclosed that the NNPCL did not have supply issues, saying its products remained readily available. He added that the distribution issue in some areas had been resolved.

“We are pleased to confirm that there are no supply issues and that our products remain readily available. The recent tightness experienced in certain areas was due to a brief distribution issue in Lagos, which has since been resolved.”