Long queues persist at petrol filling stations
In spite of assurances from the NNPC that prices of petroleum products will not be increased, some petrol service stations in Kaduna metropolis still lock up in anticipation of the increase.
A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who went round some of the stations reports that most of them that had not exhausted their stock were yet to commence selling.
Some of the officials at such stations refused to either confirm or deny they had stock, saying they were not allowed to speak to the press.
Some buyers however confirmed that those stations have fuel but were hoarding in anticipation of pump price increment.
Mr Alade Olayinfa, a commercial vehicle driver regretted the action of the marketers, saying it was causing prices even at illegal outlets to soar above their reach.
“Usually, prices of fuel at such illegal outlets drop after Christmas and New year break, but now they are still increasing,” Olayinfa lamented.
Others also blamed the marketers for creating the scarcity even when the NNPC said it would not increase the pump price of the commodity.
They called on the Corporation to sanction the stations that were still not complying with the directive to sell the product at the controlled price.
There were however long queues at the few stations, mostly owned by Independent Marketers, where the commodity was being sold at prices similar to those of the illegal outlets popularly called “black market”.
One litre of petrol at some of these stations was being sold for N100 as against N65.