Kunle Adelabu
-Residents now at black marketers mercy in Ikorodu
The fuel scarcity which started few weeks back as a result what the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) called the importation of bad fuel into the country, has persisted despite the assurance by the government and regulatory body to resolve it.
Motorists and residents are now bearing the brunt of the scarcity which various parts of the country have been experiencing for about a month now.
In Ikorodu, the situation is now going from bad to worse as few petrol stations that have been selling the product have been unable to do so again in the last few days.
As expected, many of the stations are now selling a litre of fuel between N200 and N300 while some are even selling at higher rate.
There have also been allegations that some of the filling stations prefer selling their products to black marketers who are ready to pay more, than selling to the vehicle owners.
Our investigation revealed that the black marketers are selling 5 litres of petrol at N250 while they sell 10 litres between N5000 and N6000.
The situation has also led to the increment in transport fare as well as food items and other products across lkorodu community as residents continue to lament over the attendant hardships.
Mr Adebayo Phillip, who chatted with our reporter, lamented how filling stations are forcing vehicle owners to buy fuel from the black marketers.
“I noticed (that) filling stations in Ikorodu metropolitan are no longer selling fuel to motorists and domestic users but are selling to the black marketers”, he alleged.
“The black marketers confidently display their kegs beside the roads at Ota-Ona and many other locations within the town with the price ranging from 2500, 2000 and 1500 for 5litres”, he added.
“I send this notification if you can use your powerful office to broadcast this menace in Ikorodu to the appropriate authorities for urgent intervention”.
Kunle Sopitan, a teacher, also described the situation as unbearable.
“The pains and agony of this fuel scarcity are just unbearable”, he said.
A cab operator at Itamaga area of lkorodu, who spoke with THE IMPACT on Tuesday, said that they have no choice than to buy from the black marketers.
“We now buy at N200 per litre while some even sell at N300. Though, some are still selling at N170”, he said.
An Okada operator within the Ikorodu locality, said that he still buys at the old rate but lamented the agony that he and other operators are going through to get fuel into their tanks.
Another okada rider who lamented the situation said:
“I am seriously angry with the petrol stations attendants because despite selling at N200 per litre, they are still demanding that we pay them minimum of N200 again as if they are doing us a favour” he said.
When our reporter visited Alabukun Petrol Station at Erunwen junction on Tuesday, the station was selling the product but there was large queue of vehicles, motorbikes and residents carrying jerry cans.
It was the same situation at the Habeeb station at the Itamaga junction.
Virtually all the stations along the Itamaga – Imota – Agbowa Road were without fuel on Wednesday when our reporter toured the area.
Also, the V2K filling station located at Parafa, Radiant Drop Nigeria Limited filling station at Maya, and Fadek and Petrolex stations at Isiwu, were all deserted as they were not selling fuel at the time our reporter visited.
The Oando filling station located at Adamo, had a long queue when our reporter visited.
Our reporter also reported that most of the stations within the Ikorodu township were also without fuel.
