Fuel scarcity stretches to Kaduna, Zaria

KADUNA metropolis and Zaria town Monday got their share of long queues of motorists in filling stations owing to the prevailing fuel scarcity in the country.

The Guardian learnt that though the product was still being sold for N97 per litre at most of the stations, it was however hectic for traffic management owing to the intimidating number of vehicles.

Meanwhile, racketeers, popularly known as black marketers, are having a field  day as they dispense the product at N200 per litre to willing patronisers. 

A visit to a number of filling stations showed a mix of reactions.

For instance, the Mobil filliing station along Independent Way by WAFF Road in Kaduna witnessed a long queue of motorists expecting discharge from a tanker that was stationed for hours.

A customer that spoke to some journalists said they had spent more then five hours on the queue with no assurance that could get the product.

The station’s manager, Mr. John Akpan, said the long queue began resurfacing late Friday with efforts geared at containing it to no avail.

 Asked the rationale behind the development, he pointed to the delay in supply from the depot.

“Three of my tankers are presently at the KRPC depot for the past two weeks and as I am talking with you, we don’t know when it is going to be our turn and we are running out of supply,” Akpan disclosed.

In same vein,  independent dealer, Alhaji Musa Babale, said his were also at the facility awaiting supplies which time frame he was hugely uncertain of.

 According to him, the various filling stations within the metropolis stopped selling fuel on 26 Febuary when they ran out of supply and the concomitant queues ensued.

 Meanwhile,  Mallam Bukar Idris of MRS filling station, along Ali Akilu Way blamed some marketers  for the new scenario, alleging hoarding of the product.

  “Our last supply finished about two days ago, but I know some marketers that we got our supply on the same day, but they are hoarding the product,” he said