Hunger protest stalls fuel loading at Lagos ports

The hunger protest that began on Thursday led to a halt in petrol loading at the Lagos depots, causing fuel scarcity to persist.

Sources confirmed to The PUNCH that the depot owners refused to open for business over fears of violence.

Recall that the fuel scarcity started last weekend in Abuja, Lagos, Ogun, Niger and other states, raising the price of petrol to around N1,000 per litre.

Black marketers have since seized the opportunity to do brisk business, selling a litre for as much as N1,300 in some areas.

Our correspondent learnt that the depots were running dry as of Sunday due to the inability of vessels to discharge fuel.

On Wednesday, it was gathered that the fuel vessels were coming one after the other to discharge petrol.

Operators told our correspondent that more vessels needed to berth at the ports till the weekend to ensure the circulation of premium motor spirit across the country.

However, as the protest started on Thursday, the depot owners reportedly refused to load the product over security concerns.

An operator, who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent that members of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers were ready to support the depots in loading fuel, but the depot owners refused to take a risk.

“There were no activities at the Lagos depots on Thursday and Friday for two obvious reasons. One, we are still battling the paucity of the product, and two, the security concern on the roads after loading due to the hardship protest.

“NUPENG is ready to support depots to load, but the security situation is a drawback. Hopefully, if the situation improves later today loading may continue tomorrow,” the source stated.

Tanker drivers had earlier told our correspondent that they would continue to load fuel even during the protest.

The President of the National Association of Transport Owners, Yusuf Othman, said in an interview that he had directed members of the association to continue lifting fuel but should be careful.

According to him, NARTO will not partake in the planned protest, nor will it stop its operations.

“NARTO is not part of this planned protest; we don’t support it and will not partake in it. We have told our members to continue the work they are doing. Nobody should park his truck because any drop in business will bring a lot of scarcity and we don’t want to get involved.

“Everybody is scared and this is the time when we should be able to service everybody to ensure fuel is circulated across the country. We have told our people to continue the good work they are doing, they should just be careful,” Othman stated.

He stated that he was unaware that some of the members of the association were not working, stating, “That I don’t know. How were you able to speak to some of them? I am operating. Right now, I have 10 trucks I’m loading. If I’m doing this, other people will follow suit because there is no issue, fuel is going to be continuously circulated. We don’t have any problem. This too will come and go, but we remain in our business.”