FOR about two weeks, scarcity of fuel has been a problem people are grappling with in many towns and cities across the country. Initially, there was optimism that the problem was going to be resolved, especially with the assurance given by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) that there was enough fuel to last till next year. But the pessimists had immediately dismissed the NNPC promise, saying the fuel scarcity was going to be a long haul, judging from its initial outlook. They would, unfortunately, be proven right. Fuel scarcity has added its vicious bite to the festive season blues and made things uneasy for many a Nigerian who are already feeling distressed owing to their harsh economic realities.
So serious has the fuel issue become that a major satellite television service provider, DSTV, decided to entice their customers with 25 litres fuel in a promo run should they maintain an unbroken period of subscription.
In some parts of the country, however, the fuel scarcity has not been very critical. Many fuel stations open for business with queues that are not too long. Reports from Plateau and Niger states indicate that as of Thursday things were getting better in terms of service at the fuel stations and the queues were getting shorter.
But in many other towns and communities in the country, it has been agonizing days to Christmas and travellers have spending extra money to get to their destinations. Things had gradually grounded to a halt. Expectedly, the price of transportation has increased astronomically. Streets are deserted. Fares that cost N50 few days back now range from N80 to N400.
High fares
In Lagos things have not fared better. A celebrity artiste, SIL, who has been busy with studio recording told Sunday Tribune via telephone that it is now risky to go about aimlessly in the aquatic city or else one could be stranded.
“Many of my friends have parked their cars at home and are hopping on BRT buses. You dare not go to the Island from Oshodi with N1,000. You will surely be stranded. I’m on my way to Abeokuta now and the trip that used to cost N700 is now N2,500. This is going to be a bleak Christmas,” he complained.
In Awka and Onitsha, Anambra State, queues at fuel stations suddenly resurfaced on Friday morning, as most of the petrol stations either refused to sell the commodity or did not open for business. At most of the stations that sold fuel it went for between N180 and N200.
In Enugu the story was worse, as fuel sold for between N250 and N300. At Nsukka and Enugu many fuel stations refused to open while price of fuel have hit the roof top.
In Oyo State, for instance, not even the resumption of operation at the NNPC depot in Ibadan some months back could help the situation. The city was grounded since Thursday and there was no reprieve up till Friday. Only a few weeks back, residents were all giddy about the festive season. The sing-song was about what to buy, where to visit, even what to eat or gift to others despite the harsh economic situation in the country. Not many had imagined it would be this tough.
To say that people are angry is an understatement, as many of those who spoke with Sunday Tribune could not hide their feelings. At fuel stations around the city of Ibadan, there was apprehension on the faces of people, followed by resentment of the system that had failed to find a solution to the perennial problem of fuel scarcity.
“They don’t want us in this country anymore,” groaned a pastor who had spent 11 hours at a petrol station at Challenge area of the city and still couldn’t get fuel to buy. The pastor, who identified himself as Idowu Adejana said that the government should not try to absolve itself of blame, claiming it has the power to end the pain and anguish that Nigerians go through to buy fuel.
“Buhari is planning to increase fuel price to N200. If not, why has he not instructed that any dealer or petrol station that hoards fuel should be arrested and the station locked down? The masses are done for in this country. We can never enjoy peace with these [kinds of] rulers,” he said.
Adesanya Ademola, a mechanical engineer, told Sunday Tribune that he had not been able to work since the scarcity started. He said he had decided that he wasn’t going to let the nation’s problems get the better of him, thus he decided to cool off at a pub on Imalefalafia Street, Oke Ado, Ibadan where Sunday Tribune spoke to him.
“Why are the other governors silent? Do they, for one minute, think that Nigerians are having it good? That is why Fayose is popular. He fights for the masses, while the other governors are benefiting from the fraud going on. Since this democratic governance began in 1999, there has not been a December that the price of fuel is not increased. Successive governments have always allowed dealers to get away with this fraud to gauge the mood of the people. If we keep quiet, be sure that Buhari will increase fuel price anytime soon, or at the latest, after his re-election. We are doomed.
“This present scarcity is the worst I have experienced in my 51 years on earth. Artisans, drivers, manufacturers and many others are affected by this scarcity. For over three hours, I couldn’t get fuel to buy at BCG, Apata. The queue was too much. I just couldn’t take it any longer, so I came to hide here and relax a little,” he told Sunday Tribune.
A young man also narrated his story to Sunday Tribune: “My mother just called me from a petrol station that she was going just home, having been there since 6.30 a.m. that she left home to queue for fuel. This is 2.30 p.m. and she was not able to buy fuel. Her money was even stolen. This country is cursed,” he fumed.
“There will be war in this country and I’m ready to fight,” he added. Not happy that he had to trek from Odo-Ona Elewe to Oke-Ado area for almost four hours, he said he was ready to trek to Ijebu for ‘spiritual powers’ to prepare for war.
Mr Sola Adepoju, who was also searching for fuel and said he had witnessed a war before said: “no war could be worse than this being currently waged against Nigerians. All over, you see that many Nigerians have resorted to trekking to different places, be it homes, schools, markets or offices. The only difference is that there are no gunshots. The country is at a standstill.”
Gunshots
Not one, but six shots were fired by a soldier at the Oando petrol station at Iyana Lodge area of Oke Ado, Ibadan around10.45 a.m. on Friday when Sunday Tribune got there. The officer in mufti, who was said to have arrived at the station around 6.00 a.m. was angered by the lawlessness of touts at the station.
Victor Odusote, a barber who claimed, had not been able to work, since the fuel scarcity started, said the soldier had to fire the shots to restore order after he was assaulted.
“The touts didn’t queue like others and they kept bringing kegs in, instructing the manager to fill them up. The manager refused and even threatened to stop selling unless we were orderly. This informed the decision of the officer to start kicking the kegs from the line, and to start pushing everyone so that we could all form a line.
“I think the man kicked some of the kegs belonging to a transport union member and a fight broke out. Others joined in beating the man until he was finally able to escape.
“We saw that his knickers were green (camouflage), so we assumed he was going to bring more soldiers. To our surprise, he came with a pump action and began to shoot into the air. We all ran. The man who fought with him and his cohorts disappeared immediately. His action brought some sanity as the manager instructed that they should start to sell fuel to us. Nobody was allowed to buy above N1,000 though, because he said they didn’t have much supply.”
Tempers rise
For many Nigerians, it was a tale of more agony, even they could not get petrol buy after agreeing to buy at outrageous prices. After spending several hours at another fuel station, hoping to buy fuel, even at inflated prices, tempers would begin to rise as it became obvious that the hours of waiting would count for nothing.
Fighting has become a common sight at the filling stations. And Sunday Tribune witnessed one at a fuel station at Challenge Area between two commercial motorcyclists over who got to the station first, and who should be attended to before the other. The fight between the two young guys resulted in injuries to both, forcing the manager to stop the sale of fuel to everyone.
Brisk business
At Molete area of Ibadan, touts close to fuel attendants buy fuel at the normal rate of N145 per litre, but sell between N200 and N450.
A commercial motorcyclist, Baba Anu, as he is popularly called at the Iyana Felele, Ibadan motorcycle park, disclosed that he had to resort to buying fuel at black market price of N1,800 a gallon at Sabo area of the city on Thursday, to be able to work but the fuel he bought was adulterated and had caused damage to his motorbike.
“I regret it. My okada and generator have packed up. The fuel was adulterated. I have come out today hoping to find someone who will allow me to drive his okada for few hours and make little amount to feed my family today,” he told Sunday Tribune.
Asked how he planned to survive till Christmas and after, he said: “What Christmas? I don’t know how today will be, you are talking of tomorrow. Abeg my broda, please help use your medium to appeal to Buhari that the suffering in these few days is too much.
‘The rich are getting richer at the expense of the poor. He shouldn’t fold his arms and allow this to continue. Buhari is too concerned about probing past rulers while Nigerians are dying of hunger. Must we continue to suffer before we can enjoy anything in this country?” he queried.
Many people are already resorting to trekking. Those who ride okada or taxis for commercial purposes are languishing at fuel stations without hope. Gbenga Aboderin an okada man got to Oando fuel station in Molete Ibadan by 8am last Friday. By 2 pm, six hours later he was yet to get fuel. Though some stations around Ibadan are selling at normal price, the attendants often ask for gratification to allow buyers in.
“They are still selling at the normal price, but they now collect N50 extra before they sell the fuel to us. But they won’t sell than N1000 fuel to anyone. We are just tired; you can see how long the queue is,” Aboderin lamented.
A cab driver, Olalekan Aderemi, who also spoke with Sunday Tribune said: “for today I am not able to get fuel at all, I have queued for three hours, but what can we do? There is no fuel; it’s not like they increased the price, it’s still the same, but they refused to sell to us.”
Buying at black market rate is not an option for most people. The price has more than doubled. At some places, such as the NNPC depot in Apata Ibadan it is N500 per litre. Elsewhere it is lower, at N400 per litre. Unfortunately most of the operators of the black market got their supplies at the official rate of N142 per litre.
It is not clear when respite would come for Nigerians on the current problem of fuel scarcity but one thing is clear, the fuel tanks of power generators, vehicles, tricycles and okadas are getting dry and it may take million and millions of litres of fuel to satiate the thirst and that would take weeks, if not the next one month.
- Additional reports by Jude Ossai, Michael Ovat, Temidayo Akolawole, Timilehin Orekunrin, Timilehin Daramola and Pelumi Tiamiyu.
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