Fuel queues resurface in Abuja

Long queues have resurfaced at filling stations across Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, as motorists struggle to purchase petrol.

The queues surfaced Thursday morning and remained through Friday, as traffic gridlocks appeared across major parts of the city.

The immediate cause of the latest queues remains unknown as filling stations in Lugbe, the Central Business District, Wuse, Kubwa, and Jabi areas of the city sold petrol at prices ranging between N660 and N700.

However, the retail outlets of the NNPC continue to sell the product for N617 per litre.

A PREMIUM TIMES correspondent who visited petrol stations Friday morning found that while there were queues at some filling stations, other stations were under lock and key.

Some hawkers were spotted in front of Conoil filling station and TotalEnergies filling station opposite the NNPC Tower selling the product in 10-litre jerry cans for N9,500 – N10,000 to motorists, who could not stay in queues at the filling stations.

At Saddi Kamil filling station, MRS and Salbas Oil and Gas Nig Ltd along Lugbe, Airport Road, there was a huge crowd at the stations Friday morning, as motorists struggled to buy petrol.

Fuel queue resurface in Abuja [PHOTO CREDIT: Mary Izuaka]

Shema along Lugbe, Airport Road, was opened but the station was not selling the product, while Bovas along Lugbe Airport Road, was under lock and key.

A long queue was seen at the NNPC filling station in Wuse Zone 3, the Optima filling station in Jabi and the NNPC retail outlet Central Business District area (CBD).

The TotalEnergies filling station in Wuse Zone 1 and Azman Oil and Gas Nig Ltd in Wuse Zone 5 were opened but officials said the stations had no petrol stock.

Similarly, at the TotalEnergies filling station in Wuse Zone 3, motorists struggling to get fuel were at the station Friday afternoon.

When PREMIUM TIMES visited Conoil filling station and TotalEnergies filling station opposite the NNPC Tower, a crowd of motorists struggled among themselves to buy petrol Friday morning.

An official at the Conoil filling station who identified himself simply as Mike said: “Just yesterday, we noticed some kind of panic buying but I cannot tell what the problem is.”

A civil servant at the station, Collins Nwodo, said: “From what I am seeing, I don’t think this is panic buying, I think there’s no fuel in the city and whatever the reason might be I don’t know.

Mr Nwodo expressed fears over the ripple effect of the queues in the next few days.

Fuel queue resurface in Abuja [PHOTO CREDIT: Mary Izuaka]

“By tomorrow the situation might be worse than what is already on the ground. I just pray this queue should not exceed this weekend,” he said.

A businessman, Emeka Ani, said the government is playing a game with the people.

“What I can say about this fuel queue is that the government just decides on what they want. They are using the heads of the masses because I am sure they know the right thing to do but they refuse to do it.

“They know what they are doing using us to play a game and this is very bad,” he said.

At Salbas Oil and Gas Nig Ltd along Lugbe, Airport Road, a pump attendant at the station, who craved anonymity, said: “We are so surprised to see this queue since yesterday, I can’t figure out the reason for this.”

Some cab drivers said there was panic buying.

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A car owner, Sola Ojo, told PREMIUM TIMES that there was fuel but some filling stations were hoarding the product.

“I think some filling stations are hoarding their fuel. I heard that the government wants to increase the price of fuel to N1,000 per litre but I don’t know how true.

“But if this is true, the government should not try it because there is enough suffering in the country already,” he said.

Fuel queue resurface in Abuja [PHOTO CREDIT: Mary Izuaka]

A motorist, Monday Benjamin, said the return of fuel queues in Abuja could affect the economy.

“If care is not taken this could affect the economy of the city.”

Olufemi Soneye, the chief corporate communications officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) did not return a phone call as of press time Friday evening. Messages sent to his known telephone line were also not responded to.