Motorists and commuters in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, were on Monday stranded as scarcity of the Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, resurfaced across the city.
Most filling stations between Kubwa and Zuba and other satellite areas were not dispensing the product to customers.
Meanwhile, the few stations selling were dispensing above the normal pump price. Metres were adjusted to N165 as against N160 or N163 being the case earlier.
In what seems to be based on directives from the authorities, the attendants declined to speak with reporters on what led to the resurgence of the scarcity, maintaining that they were ignorant of the cause.
A popular filling station along Airport Road, Lugbe, Abuja shut down operations before 4pm, claiming there was no fuel to dispense.
Attempts to speak with marketers proved abortive as requests were declined, while some only said, “we don’t know”.
This comes barely one month after fuel scarcity crumbled economic activities in the nation’s capital city due to an alleged plan by the Nigerian government to increase the pump price of the product.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and other commercial stations shut down on March 2 as marketers complained of scarcity in depots.
However, it was a great day for black marketers as they sold the product at prices ranging between N300 and N350 per litre.
In other parts of the city, motorists were seen navigating their ways in the middle of queues to access the dispensing points for fuel but got frustrated by the reality.
At 8pm, one of the NNPC outlets visited in Lugbe stopped dispensing to customers, but some of the motorists refused to leave the petrol station.
Also, along the Dutse-Bwari expressway, petrol stations like AYM Shafa and Mobil filling stations were locked against motorists on Monday evening.
Another customer in the queue at a filling station who became violent over his inability to get fuel for his car and generator, accused the Nigerian government of planning to further hike the price of the product.
Meanwhile, the Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kolo Kyari said there will be no increase in the ex-depot price of petrol.
He disclosed this on Monday via the company’s social media post during a meeting he held with the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO)/Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD).
“Also, the GMD announced that there would be no increase in the ex-depot price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in May 2021,” the post stated.
