NIGERIANS in the South-West, especially those in Oyo, Ondo and Osun State groaned on Saturday as long queues returned to major filling stations in the region.
Investigation by Sunday Tribune showed that fuel stations in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital were deserted yesterday, while the few stations that dispensed the commodity sold it for between N280 and N300 per litre.
At DB filing station located on Liberty Road in the state capital, fuel was sold for N280 per litre, while motorists bought same fuel at N300 at Nufats filing station located on the same road.
Contrary to N260 displayed on the fuel pump, the commodity was sold for N300 at Friendly Top filing station located at Obafemi Awolowo Road in the state capital, just as there was a long queue of vehicles at the NNPC station in Molete area of the state capital, which eventually didn’t sell the commodity.
At other filling stations visited by Sunday Tribune, which included Forte Oil, Mobil, Dove and SAO on Ring Road, Cargo, Oando, SAO, AP, Nurdok, Cargo, Dove, Gastab, Alifem located in the state capital, there were long queues even as fuel was sold for N300.
In Osun State, a similar scenario played out as there were long queues in some of the major filing stations visited by Sunday Tribune in Osogbo, the state capital.
Major oil marketers in the state capital sold petrol for between N200 and N220 per litre, while independent marketers sold the product for between N280 and N300 per litre as of the time of this report.
The motorists and motorcyclists, who couldn’t tolerate the queue at the few filling stations, opted for black market, where the prices range from N400 to N450 a litre.
Sunday Tribune observed that a few Bovas filling stations that sold the product in the state yesterday were bombarded by motorists as the stations sold at the official price of N180 per litre.
One of the motorists, who identified himself as AdewaleKunle, while expressing his anger to Sunday Tribune, urged the federal government to fix the lingering oil challenges.
But a petrol attendant who simply identified himself as Kola, said the filling stations were selling what they bought and the increase in the petrol price should not be attributed to them.
For residents in Akure, the Ondo State capital, it was the same tale of lamentation.
As of the time of filing this report on Saturday, many of the fuel stations were under lock and key, while the few ones which sold the product had long queues, which caused heavy traffic gridlock.
Sunday Tribune observed that at the few fuel stations that opened on Saturday, petrol was sold for between N285 and N300.
One of the commercial drivers who queued at one of the fuel stations, Mr Ayodeji Kehinde, decried the worsening fuel crisis, saying it is biting hard on the survival of drivers in the country.
He further described the development as a serious setback for the country’s dwindling economy.
Some other motorists, who spoke with Sunday Tribune, lamented the scarcity, expressing fear that the situation will add to the economic hardship being experienced by Nigerians within and out- side the state.
