Despite adjusting their pump prices far above the new government’s price regime of N194 per litre, filling stations in Kaduna State are not dispensing petroleum products due to scarcity of supply, thereby creating hardship for motorists.
The situation is forcing buyers who cannot afford the endless queue at the stations to buy fuel from the black market, while other frustrated drivers parked their vehicles at the car park, awaiting when fuel will be readily available, a situation that left many commuters stranded in the city.
Samuel Idoko, a taxi driver who spoke with Newsmen vented his frustration, vowing to search for another means of feeding his family because he gained nothing from running a taxi.
“I use this taxi every day since the fuel increase started, but I go home with nothing. It’s better I search for another means of living,” he said.
Samuel Abdul, a bus driver who could not hold his tears while speaking to Newsmen correspondent at Oando filling station, opposite Kaduna Textile, on Saturday evening lamented: “I have queued here since Tuesday, no single truck of fuel has come to drop fuel.”
At Ojonigo filling station along Kaduna-Abuja road, James Odaudu who said his car was short of fuel and decided to park at Muno filling station for two days, said: “I had to go to Goni Gora community this morning to buy fuel at the black marker rate of N600 per litre before I could move my car.”
Managers of some of the filling stations, who spoke to Newsmen on condition of anonymity, said they have not received a truck of fuel since the price hike by the federal government. Also, they could not explain the reason for the prolonged scarcity of fuel.