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Fuel Scarcity: Marketers blame supply hitch as queues resurface in Lagos, Ogun

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12 months ago

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Fuel Scarcity: Marketers blame supply hitch as queues resurface in Lagos, Ogun

Petroleum marketers say the non-availability of Premium Motor Spirit in filling stations located in Lagos and Ogun states is as a result of shortage in supply.

Similarly, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited confirmed that there were no products in its Apapa depots.

The long queues resurfaced in filling stations across the two states on Friday, creating fear of impending fuel scarcity.

Our correspondents, who went round some parts of Lagos and Ogun states, reported that the queues of desperate motorists in some of the filling stations affected the free flow of traffic.

At the Oando filling station in Alapere, Lagos, commuters were held in traffic as motorists struggled to buy fuel. The station stopped dispensing fuel later in the day.

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There were long queues at the Conoil filling station, while the TotalEnergies station in the same area was not dispensing fuel to customers.

It was observed that many stations did not dispense fuel and this increased the pressure on the few ones where the product was available.

The NNPC station at Fadeyi did not sell petrol as of noon on Friday, while the NIPCO station recorded a long queue of vehicles waiting to get Premium Motor Spirit.

There were also long queues of motorists at the AP filling station in Onipanu.

The Mobil filling stations at Palmgrove, Alausa and Mile 2 areas of the state did not open for business.

The Enyo filling station at Ojodu junction had long queues when one of our correspondents got there.

It was the same scenario at Eterna filling station at Oworonshoki, Northwest in Oju-Elegba, TotalEnergies and MRS in Surulere.

The NNPC, Mobil, TAS, NIPCO, Enyo, As-Salam and other filling stations along the Mowe-Ibafo route in Ogun State did not sell petrol too.

Similarly, the Capital and Enyo filling stations at Berger did not sell PMS as at the time of filing this report.

The Rain Oil and NNPC stations in Ibafo, Asese and Mowe areas had long queues of motorists, while other stations along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway were shut.

The situation affected the number of commercial vehicles on the roads.

At Mile 2, some young men engaged in the sale of the product in jerrycans at N800 per litre.

Commercial motorcyclists, who spoke with Saturday PUNCH, said they had been buying from the black marketers since Wednesday.

A customer on the Ikotun Idimu Road in Lagos, who gave his name as Mr Ejiogbu, said, “I just noticed there are long queues in filling stations around here and I don’t know why it is only the NNPC station that is dispensing fuel in the area.

“I started noticing the scarcity and queues everywhere two days ago and I don’t know why.”

It was observed that the scarcity has started affecting transport fares.

A trader, Mrs Ada Herbert, said, “Ikotun to Cele Express used to be between N400 and N500, but today, drivers pegged it at N600; I don’t know if it was as a result of the fuel scarcity.”

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At the Mobil filling station at First Gate along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, there was a short queue of motorists waiting to buy fuel in jerrycans.

One of the fuel attendants said the station managed to get fuel after three days of no supply.

“They just came to supply fuel for us now. We didn’t have fuel for over three days. I don’t know why they didn’t bring it earlier. What matters is that we have fuel to sell now,” the attendant, who declined to give his name, said.

Motorists also queued up to buy fuel at the Mobil station at Alakija, where PMS was sold fuel for N605 per litre.

The National Vice President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Hammed Fashola, had said on Monday that there was a little hiccup in the distribution of the product and expressed optimism that normalcy would be restored after the Easter break.

Fashola stated, “Yes, I think there was a little infraction in supply. The Easter holidays from Friday to Monday also added to the situation. I think from Wednesday it will ease off.

“There was little problem with supply even before the holidays. There was a little hiccup in supply, and the holiday added to it. I am sure will start getting better after the holidays.”

However, the situation seems to be getting worse four days after the Easter break.

NNPC, marketers speak
The spokesperson for the NNPCL, Olufemi Soneye, in a message on Friday, confirmed that there were queues at NNPCL stations, saying there were no products at the company’s Apapa depots.

According to him, the NNPCL has carried out a review and there is no sign of scarcity in Lagos.

Soneye stated, “There were no products at our Apapa depots. We have carried out a review and there was no sign of scarcity in Lagos.

“It is only the NNPC Retail stations that have queues due to our price differential.”

However, the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria differed with the NNPCL as it confirmed queues at its filling stations.

The Executive Secretary of MEMAN, Clement Isong, said there was low stock over the Easter weekend for some of the members, adding that this resulted from truck out to supply stations without replenishment at its depots.

Isong said this led to outages in some retail outlets during the past week.

However, he stated that the depots were currently receiving PMS supplies from the NNPC Trading and would continue to do so throughout the weekend.

Isong said, “Thank you for reaching out to us regarding the recent concerns about fuel scarcity. We understand the importance of addressing these issues promptly and transparently to provide clarity to the public.

Fuel Scarcity: Marketers blame supply hitch as queues resurface in Lagos, Ogun

-PUNCH

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Why governors’ forum is silent on Rivers emergency, by DG

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23 hours ago

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March 23, 2025

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Why governors’ forum is silent on Rivers emergency, by DG

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) yesterday attributed its neutral position on the recent declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State to the need to steer clear of taking positions that may alienate members with varying political interests.

Taking positions on contentious partisan issues, the NGF said, would not augur well for it, especially in view of its past experience in fundamental division.

Notwithstanding, the declaration of the state of emergency by President Bola Tinubu yesterday generated more kudos and knocks from across the country.

Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters, Senator Basheer Lado, said the action of the president was meant to ensure protection of lives and restoration of law and order in the state, while the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, said his principal  was required  to “avert needless harm and destruction .”

National Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Felix Morka, said Tinubu, by his action, cleared what had manifested as a constitutional crisis in Rivers state.

But former President Goodluck Jonathan saw it from a different perspective.

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He described “abuse of office and power by the three arms of government in the country“ as a dent on Nigeria’s image.

The NGF, in a statement by its Director General Abdulateef Shittu, said it is essentially “an umbrella body for sub-national governments to promote unified policy positions and collaborate with relevant stakeholders in pursuit of sustainable socio-economic growth and the well-being of the people.”

It added: “As a technical and policy hub comprising governors elected on different platforms, the body elects to steer clear of taking positions that may alienate members with varying political interests.

“In whatever language it is written, taking positions on contentious partisan issues would mean a poor sense of history — just a few years after the forum survived a fundamental division following political differences among its members.

“Regardless, the Forum is reputed for its bold positions on governance and general policy matters of profound consequences, such as wages, taxes, education and universal healthcare, among others.”

It asked for “the understanding of the public and the media, confident that appropriate platforms and crisis management mechanisms would take care of any such issues.”

Why governors’ forum is silent on Rivers emergency, by DG

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Rivers: Tinubu acted to save state, economy, says Karimi

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2 days ago

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March 22, 2025

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Chairman of the Senate Services Sunday Karimi

Rivers: Tinubu acted to save state, economy, says Karimi

Chairman of the Senate Services Sunday Karimi has hailed President Bola Tinubu for the decision to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State.

 He told reporters on Friday in Abuja that the President acted in the best interest of the State and Nigeria, having taken his decision in compliance with the Constitution.

“No President or government worth a name, will fold its arms and watch a political situation deteriorate to what we saw unfolding in Rivers State.

“We saw that bombing of pipelines had begun, and the security situation was getting worse with the tension everywhere”, Karimi stated.

Karimi, who represents Kogi-West on the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC), recalled the “fatherly role” Tinubu had played in the crisis since 2023 in a bid to get the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara to reach an understanding, to no avail.

He explained: “We were all here in 2023 when Mr President called that truce meeting at the Aso Rock Villa. There was the eight-point agenda for settlement reached between the factions.

“When Nigerians expected that progress should be made to achieve peace, things started deteriorating considerably to a point where the governor demolished the House of Assembly building and administered the state with only three legislators.”

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Karimi observed that with the recent judgment of the Supreme Court, which gave the upper hand to the 27 lawmakers loyal to the camp of the FCT Minister, matters merely got worse in the State as the lawmakers were set to impeach the Governor.

“What did you expect would be the implications? There would have been more destruction, killings and economic losses for the country.

“With the bombings that had already started, it was a matter of time before the whole state would be engulfed in flames. No responsible President would sit, arms folded, and allow that to happen “ he added.

The senator further argued that it took “painstaking efforts” by the administration to raise daily crude oil production to around 1,800 barrels, noting that Nigeria’s economy was already “witnessing a rebound under the renewed hope projects of the government.”

“Allowing the situation in Rivers to get worse before he would act, wouldn’t have helped the state or Nigeria as a country in any way.

“Mr. President intervened at the right time, and his actions are covered by law,” he said.

Karimi also spoke on the emergency declaration  in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and a couple of other states by former President Goodluck Jonathan without removing the Governors from office or suspending the state assemblies.

According to him, the case with those States was not generated by political crises but rather security concerns.

“So, I will advise those comparing the two scenarios to remember that one was purely about security threats resulting from the insurgency caused by Boko Haram, while that of Rivers is clearly political.

“It was the proper thing to do to suspend the political actors in the two factions to allow for tensions to diffuse. Nigerians should appreciate the President for the action he has taken so far,” he stated.

Sen. Karimi also noted that there was no cause for alarm as the National Assembly had indicated that the emergency rule could be reviewed as soon as there were signs that things could quickly normalise in Rivers State.

 

Rivers: Tinubu acted to save state, economy, says Karimi

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Just in: Tinubu swears in Rivers Sole Administrator Ibas

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5 days ago

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March 19, 2025

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Just in: Tinubu swears in Rivers Sole Administrator Ibok-ete Ibas 

President Bola Tinubu has sworn in Vice Vice Admiral Ibok-ete Ibas (Retd.) as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State.

The administrator was sworn in on Wednesday after a short meeting with the President.

Tinubu announced the appointment of the retired naval chief at a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, when he declared a state of emergency in Rivers State and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor, Ngozi Odu, and the state House of Assembly members.

The President said his decision was based on Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, saying he could not continue to watch the political situation in Rivers escalate without taking concrete action.

The suspension of Fubara and other elected representatives has been rejected and condemned by many eminent Nigerians, legal luminaries, groups such as Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Femi Falana, the Labour Party (LP), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Nigerian Bar Association.

However, the emergency rule has been praised by the pro-Nyesom Wike Assembly led by Martins Amaewhule, accusing Fubara of contravening the Supreme Court ruling on the political situation in the state.

Ibas was the Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021.

He is from Cross River State where he had his early education.

The new sole administrator went to the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1979 from where he proceeded to have a successful career in the Navy, rising through the ranks to the very top.

He is a member of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) and the Nigerian Institute of Management.

President Muhammadu Buhari who appointed him as Chief of Naval Staff conferred him with the National Honour of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) in 2022.

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