Fuel queue. Photo: Archive/Radio Nigeria
Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has cautioned oil marketers to avoid imposing needless hardship on the citizens by creating artificial fuel scarcity across the nation.
Governor AbdulRazaq who gave the warning on Tuesday in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiau Ajakaye, expressed concern about reports of sudden fuel scarcity in different parts of the country.
He said the development was uncalled for and urged fuel marketers to immediately discharge fuel to the public under the normal pricing system since they had bought what they currently have at subsidized rates.
Governor AbdulRazaq said creating artificial scarcity amounts to intentional misrepresentation of the statement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on the question of fuel subsidy.
He also urged the marketers to desist from anything that qualifies as economic sabotage of the people, stating that hoarding fuel bought at subsidised price and creating panic will not be condoned.
Meanwhile, the Deputy of Kwara State, Mr. Kayode Alabi will be leading a task force to ensure that no fuel marketer causes undue hardship to the citizens in Kwara State.
A statement from the Deputy Governor’s office said any filling station found to be hoarding fuel will have their Certificate of Occupancy revoked, among other penalties.
Long queues resurfaced in some filling stations across Ilorin, while others were locked up.
Few others that dispense, sell a litre between N300 naira and N400 as at the time of filling this report.
Reporting by Lawrence Afolabi; Editing by Annabel Nwachukwu