Petrol price: Motorists lament filling stations fleecing Nigerians with ‘rigged’ pumps

Nigerians, especially motorists or vehicle owners, heaved a sigh of relief when the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) announced reduction in fuel price from N1,060 to N965 across all its retail stations nationwide. Also, the Dangote Group through its Refinery reduced its price per litre to N899 reaching out to Nigerians through the MRS filling stations.

But what literally should be a source of joy has become an avenue for fuel stations to cheat, shortchange, and fleece motorists and Nigerians of their hard-earned money by dispensing less quality fuel which blows out easily in a very short time.

In Abuja, commercial drivers are complaining bitterly of not meeting their daily target anymore apparently because of the shenanigans of the fuel stations through their attendants. Some drivers who spoke with Nigerian Tribune expressed disappointment in quality of fuel being sold, the price, and the tampering of the meters by the attendants who have the backing of their managers.

Mr Ifeanyi Osigwe, an Uber operator relayed his experience to Nigerian Tribune.

“Initially on hearing about the reduction in petrol price by the NNPC and Dangote, we were happy but it was short-lived. It was short-lived because we were carried away in the euphoria of reduction while these filling stations ‘duped’ us of our money. We trust them to do the right thing 100 percent but as usual, the Nigerian factor set in, and see where we have found ourselves.

“For me, after buying like three times, I discovered that the filing stations are cheating me. The purported reduction is just a scam by these greedy filling stations. The government and Dangote have played their roles by announcing price reductions but as I said, we are at the mercy of these greedy lots. What we thought would be a healthy competition has become a curse because of the ways we like to do our things.

“Rather than buy at MRS or NNPC, I prefer buying at higher price at RainOil and BOVAS whose pump can be trusted and are dispensing high quality fuel that lasts longer. The two filling stations have the interest of Nigerians at heart and they are doing well,” Osigwe told Nigerian Tribune.

Nigerian Tribune had last week reported how motorists in Abuja including Keke and Okada owners on hearing the price adjustment by NNPCL and Dangote besieged the two filling stations in the metropolis to buy ‘cheaper’ fuel. But it is no longer the case as the queues at NNPCL and MRS are thinning out with motorists preferring to patronise other filling stations in the nation’s capital.

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