*petrol stations under lock and key
Few days after the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) urged Nigerians to desist from panic buying because there was enough petrol, Independent oil marketers in the Federal Capital Territory shut down their filling stations hoarding the product.
In the FCT, fuel stations along the Lugbe and Kubwa – Zuba axis were locked and refused to dispense products.
Along the airport road, the ever busy and active Shema and Dan oil were under lock and key as at 2pm on Monday when this correspondent visited the station.
Queues however resurfaced in some of the few filling stations dispensing petrol, as motorists were seen in large numbers.
The development prompted major panic among motororists who were left with no option than to patronise black marketers that were openly hawking the product along the roadside.
Recall that Fuel retailers had said on Monday that private depot owners raised the price of petrol from the approved N149/litre price to between N154 and N156/litre.
Meanwhile, the NNPC has cautioned Nigerians against panic buying of Premium Motor Spirit, more commonly known as petrol.
The NNPC in a statement on Monday by its Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Garba Deen Muhammad stated that it has about 1.7 billion litres of petrol in stock and that more product is expected to arrive into the country daily over the coming weeks and months.
The statement read: “It is therefore unnecessary to entertain any fear of scarcity of petrol throghout the festive season and beyond.
“The NNPC is also not aware of any plan by goverment to cause an increase in the pump price of petroleum. The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has made that declaration last week.
“In view of these assurances therefore, the NNPC is advising motorists and other consumers of petrol to maintain their regular pattern of the purchase of petrol without getting into a panic situation that may send the wrong signals around the country.
“The NNPC is also engaging all stakeholders to ensure smooth supply and distribution of products to every part of the country during the festive season and beyond”.
The newly established Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority had last week warned depot owners to desist from increasing petrol price beyond the approved rate.
The authority said it had noticed that petrol was being sold above the official price at the loading depots of members of the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria.
This, according to the authority, was caused by the erroneous insinuation of an imminent increase in the price of the product.
Also, the Chief Executive Officer, NMPRA, Farouk Ahmed, had in a statement last week Friday said, “The authority is assuring the general public that the price of petrol has not been changed and that the Federal Government has no intention of an upward adjustment of the price at the moment.
“The authority wishes to inform the general public that the country has adequate stock of petroleum and the NNPC has further assured of sufficient supply of the product.”
Ahmed cautioned marketers against hoarding and engaging in unwholesome practices that would be inimical to the smooth supply of petroleum products.
The NMPRA boss said he had directed all operational offices of the authority across the country to ensure that all loading depots and retail outlets were dispensing petroleum at the approved price.
He urged motorists to desist from panic buying and report any erring marketer to the nearest office of the authority.
