Long queues have surfaced at filling stations across Bauchi metropolis, signalling a scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise called petrol.
A correspondent who monitored the situation on Tuesday reports that most of the stations were out of stock of the product.
The few available stations were dispensing petrol between N730 and N750 per liter while a litre sold at N1,000 at the black market outlets.
The situation led to queues in the few stations and created panic buying in the metropolis.
Commenting on the situation, Mr Adamu Garba, a motorist, said he experienced difficulties in accessing petrol due to the scarcity.
He said the situation had forced motorists to hike transport fare, adding that, “to get petrol now is so hard.”
“Most filling stations are not selling and there are long queues in ones selling.”
Bello Giade, another motorist, blamed petroleum marketers for hoarding the product which resulted in scarcity.
He said the situation exposed them to more pains and affected transportation services.
Also, Sani Abdullahi, an official of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Gombe Road Motor Park branch, dismissed insinuation over hike in transport fare.
“We are charging normal transport fare for now, we are still studying the situation to see what will happen before we take a decision on the situation,” he said.
Reacting, the Chairman, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Bauchi State chapter, Alhaji Rabiu Baba, attributed the scarcity to the Easter and Sallah breaks.
Baba said there was low supply of the product in the area as most of the tanker drivers and staff were yet to resume after the festivities.
“Bad road and security situations also contributed to delaying the drivers, especially when coming back from the west to the northern part of the country.
“It is not peculiar to the independent marketer’s alone, major marketer’s are also facing the same problem,” he said.
He, however, said the product would soon be available as the supply improved.