The prices of Fuel are reportedly selling from N400 to N500 in Edo and Delta, just as long queues resurfaced in the few filling stations opened for business on Tuesday.
Most filling stations in Benin metropolis and Asaba, capitals of both Edo and Delta States respectively remained closed while the few selling were dispensing the commodity at between N450 and N520 per litre.
In Benin, the few filling stations which included NNPC mega stations on the Sapele, Buvel, and ‘Madam 200’, were selling the product between N190 and N200, but with long queues.
The other few independent marketers were selling for between N450 and N500, but also experienced long queues.
A motorist, Mrs. Evelyn Boswell, said she had visited four filling stations without getting fuel.
“I am worried because I need to pick up my children from school. If I can just get five litres, that will be enough to bring them from school.
“If the situation remains like this, they will have to stay at home until the product is available,” Boswell said.
Another motorist, Johnson Ikpe, said “nobody cares about the poor people in Nigeria. The scarcity has left us stranded. I can’t even get to my workplace. I am stranded.”
He accused the filling stations of hoarding petroleum products, saying “some of them who sold for between N200 and N210 on Monday morning, later sold for between N400 in the evening after the president’s speech.
Following the hike in oil prices, commercial bus drivers have in turn increased transport fares by 100 per cent depending on the routes.
In Asaba, motorists have appealed to the Federal Government to intervene and quickly resolve this emerging artificial fuel scarcity across the states of the federation.
Mr. Andy Obi, however, described the removal of fuel subsidy as a good development, but noted the timing for the implementation was not good.
”We have not even recovered from the economic hardship occasioned by the impact of the introduction of the new naira notes and now removal of fuel subsidy is being implemented.
”I will appeal to the federal government to intervene in the pain of struggling to get fuel, not just getting but buying it at a very high rate,” he said.
On his part, Mrs. Cynthia Eze, said, “I left my home in the morning and I have visited about six different filling stations without any success in getting fuel to buy.
”I’m appealing to the government for intervention because it will be disastrous for the masses.”
While most filling stations have refused to open for business, the few filling stations selling fuel are dispensing at prices ranging from N350 and N500 respectively.
Some of the filling stations currently selling include Total, Rain Oil, Dwell Pet, Marc Merg, Matrix, Mobile, North West.
The latest crisis was sequel to the announcement by President Bola Tinubu during his inauguration on Monday on the total withdrawal of oil subsidy.
