Queues return at fuel stations in Ogun after Tinubu’s petrol subsidy removal speech

Bankole Taiwo, Abeokuta

Residents of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital on Tuesday woke up to fuel scarcity and long queues in filling stations across the metropolis.

Checks by our Correspondent in Ogun State revealed that some filling stations in Abeokuta, Sagamu, Ifo, Sango/Ota and Ijebu-Ode were closed, while few others that dispensed petrol had large queues of cars and people, lining up to fill their motorcycles and kegs. The pump price ranges from N350 per litre to N400.

There were long queues at AP Ake, LADO Ake, Conoil Omida, among other fuel stations visited by our Correspondent.

On the other hand, MRS at Grammar School and Omida, Fatgbems Isale-Igbehin were closed.

Our Correspondent gathered that only three, out of over 20 functioning filling stations, were willing to sell the commodity in Arepo and Mowe areas of the State.

At Asharami, Satellite filling stations in Ibafo and Mowe, long queues were seen.

Speaking on the development, a resident who preferred anonymity said most filling stations decided to stop selling when they were informed of President Tinubu’s address on petrol subsidy removal.

“Some of the fuel stations only heard about the subsidy removal and just stopped selling the product.”

Another resident, Jide Adekunle lambasted the fuel marketers for their alleged deliberate attempts to frustrate the new administration.

He noted that the fuel marketers were purposely hoarding their stocks following the hint by Tinubu that his administration would not continue with fuel subsidies regime.

A taxi driver in Abeokuta, who identified himself as Kazeem Alao, disclosed that he had been on queue for over two hours at one of the filling stations in the metropolis waiting to get a few litres into his vehicle.

He said, “We are just our own problem in this country, not the government. Tinubu was sworn-in on Monday, and all of a sudden they (fuel marketers) began to lock their filling stations in anticipation of selling at a higher price.”

The current scarcity has affected transport fare, as commercial transporters in Abeokuta have also hiked their fares.