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Fuel shortage persists despite DSS threat, transport fares rise

Published

3 years ago

December 13, 2022

Despite the 48-hour deadline and threat by the Department of Security Services to clamp down on those behind the latest fuel crisis, the situation has not really abated.

Fuel shortage has persisted in many states including Lagos and Abuja. Transport fares in Lagos and environs, on Monday went up by more than 100 per cent, as the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, and oil marketers battle to find a lasting solution to the crisis.

Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria has faulted the 48-hour ultimatum by the DSS that oil marketers should make petrol available for Nigerians.

Vanguard in a new report says that some of the areas visited confirmed the hike in transport fares.

For instance, from Badagry to Mile 2, which cost N400 or N500 before, now costs N1000. Agbara (Ogun State) to Mile 2, which used to be between N300 and N400, now costs N700.

From First Gate, popularly called Igboelerin Junction, on the LASU-Igando road, to Iyana Ipaja, which used to be N300 before, now costs N500, whereas Igando to Iyana Ipaja, which used to be N200, now costs N500. Igando to Egbeda, which was N150, now costs between N300 and N400.

From Igando to First Gate, which was N100 before the hike, is now between N200 and N300. Igando to Iyana Oba that was between N100 and N150, is now between N300 and N500 depending on the situation on the road.

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Findings from other routes in the metropolis showed that from Egbeda to Oshodi, which cost between N200 and N300 now goes for between N500 and N600 and during peak periods, it goes to N700, just as Egbeda to Ikeja, which used to be between N200 and N300 is now N500.

From Cele Along to Ikotun, which used to cost N150 is now between N500 and N600 subject to the number of crowd waiting for bus at the bus stop.

From Cele to Gate, which cost between N100 and N150 now goes for between N200 and N300.
Commercial drivers in Lagos State have completely phased out N50 and N100 fares, as no distance no matter how short is less than N200.

Findings in Ajah area of the state showed that from Ajah to CMS, which used to be N400 or even N300 sometimes, is now N1000 flat.

From CMS to Mile 2, which used to be between N200 and N400 now goes for between N700 and N100, while between Mile 2 and Vangaurd Media Ltd, which used to be N100 is now N200.

PETROAN Chairman, System 2E, Eastern Zone, Sunny Nkpe, made this known on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme.
He said until the secret police go after the cartel operating among private depot owners hoarding the essential commodity, fuel scarcity and long queues will persist.

“Let me make it categorically clear here, there is no amount of threat by DSS that is going to change anything. If it must change, they must start from the source, they should go to the private depot operators to find out where for now we are getting products from.
“Until the cartel or cabal in that area is handled or taken care of, we can never get any reduction or fairness in the distribution of the product,” Nkpe added.

He said there has not been a drop of petrol allocation to the Port Harcourt depot in the last six months.

A former President of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, Peter Esele, who was also a guest on the programme alongside Nkpe, said the DSS must have been privy to a vital piece of information within the supply value chain to have issued the ultimatum.

“For DSS to come out and issue an ultimatum, the DSS must be privy to some information. Everyone must focus on the DSS to come out with its results within 48 hours or else, DSS may also be a player in the game.

“DSS must tell Nigerians its findings within 48 hours and whoever is behind this should be prosecuted because there are enough products in this country for everybody to get petrol,” he said.

The DSS had on Thursday directed oil marketers and NNPC Limited to resolve the fuel crisis biting Nigerians, saying failure to comply would make the agency activate its operations across the country.

Meanwhile, the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, MOMAN, has implored the Federal Government to consider a full deregulation of the petroleum downstream sector in phases.

Its Chairman, Mr Oluwole Adeosun, made the call at a web training for energy journalists, yesterday, in Lagos.

Adeosun said: “We envisage a rise in demand during the yuletide season and we are prepared to work round the clock to keep our stations running.

“If the country wishes to implement a subsidy, it must be in areas targeted to help those it should help. Such areas are agriculture and transportation, to reduce food price, and inflation and generate more jobs for Nigerians.

“In tandem, we must find a way to liberalise supply. We must bring transparency and competition into supply to ensure steady and more efficient supply at optimum prices.

“Imported products must compete with locally refined products to find a meeting point between the need for local refining and competitively low but cost recovered prices for Nigerians for sustainability.

“The dialogue with the Nigerian people needs to begin to identify, negotiate and agree on these areas and begin implementation to save the downstream industry.

“The industry has been in degradation free fall due to a lack of investment to maintain, renew and grow assets and facilities such as refineries, pipelines, depots, trucks and modern filling stations,” he said.

“Neither the new refineries nor the refurbished refineries will survive with the refining margins at current pump prices.”

Related Topics:Featured Lagos Transport fares

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Court Orders Accelerated Hearing of Suit Challenging 2025 Tax Acts, Declines Injunction

Published

1 hour ago

December 30, 2025

Trends Admin

Court Orders Accelerated Hearing of Suit Challenging 2025 Tax Acts, Declines Injunction

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, on Monday ordered an accelerated hearing of a suit challenging the 2025 tax acts, but declined to grant an interim injunction restraining their implementation.

The suit was filed by the Incorporated Trustees of African Initiative for Abuse Public Trustees against the Federal Republic of Nigeria and other key government officials, citing alleged discrepancies in the newly enacted tax laws and their proposed implementation date of January 1, 2026.

The respondents in the suit include the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the National Assembly.

In a motion ex parte, the plaintiff sought an interim injunction to restrain the Federal Government from implementing the tax laws pending the determination of the substantive suit. The applicant also requested an abridgment of time for the defendants to file their responses, approval for substituted service, and an order for accelerated hearing.

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Ruling on the application, Justice Bello Kawu, sitting as a vacation judge, granted the request for accelerated hearing and approved substituted service on the defendants.

The court ordered that the first and second defendants be served through the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Abuja, while the fourth, fifth and sixth defendants are to be served via the Office of the Clerk of the National Assembly, Three Arms Zone, Abuja.

However, the court declined to grant the interim injunction sought by the plaintiff, refusing to restrain the Federal Government and its agencies from proceeding with the implementation of the 2025 tax laws at this stage.

Justice Kawu directed that all defendants be put on notice and adjourned the matter to Wednesday, December 31, for the hearing of the motion on notice.

Court Orders Accelerated Hearing of Suit Challenging 2025 Tax Acts, Declines Injunction

metro

Amotekun Arrests 39 Suspected Terrorists Fleeing Sokoto After US Airstrikes

Published

2 hours ago

December 30, 2025

Trends Admin

Paraded suspected criminals

Amotekun Arrests 39 Suspected Terrorists Fleeing Sokoto After US Airstrikes

The Ondo State security outfit, Amotekun, has arrested 39 suspected terrorists who reportedly fled Sokoto State following the Christmas Day airstrikes conducted by the United States military in Nigeria’s North-West.

Speaking during the parade of 100 suspects across the state, Amotekun Commander Chief Adetunji Adeleye said the 39 suspects claimed to have relocated to the forests of Ondo State after fleeing the northern part of the country.

“A couple of days ago, 39 suspects were arrested, all claiming that as a result of the heat turned on them in the northern part of the country, they relocated into the forest,” Adeleye said. “We are still profiling them, and after profiling, those found with incriminating equipment and materials will be prosecuted.”

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The commander emphasized that anyone residing in Ondo State forest areas must obtain official permits, warning that the sudden influx of such elements raises serious security concerns.

Adeleye further revealed that synergy with neighboring state security outfits, including Ekiti, Osun, and Ogun, has led to significant arrests. Some suspects are still under investigation and were not paraded.

Regarding other suspects, Adeleye disclosed that of the 100 arrested, 61 were paraded:

50 for general law and order violations
2 for anti-open grazing offences
6 for kidnapping-related cases
3 for gender-based abuse and rape

The suspects ranged in age from 18 to 45 years. On the rape cases, Adeleye identified three suspects: 19-year-old Daniel Ojo, 33-year-old Usman, and 41-year-old Bejide, arrested in the Isinkan area of Akure, the state capital.

He commended Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for providing an enabling environment for security operations and thanked all state security agencies, including the police, civil defense, army, DSS, and local vigilantes, as well as the public, for their support.

Amotekun Arrests 39 Suspected Terrorists Fleeing Sokoto After US Airstrikes

metro

Malami, Son, Wife Remanded Over ₦Billions Money Laundering Charges

Published

2 hours ago

December 30, 2025

Trends Admin

Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN)

Malami, Son, Wife Remanded Over ₦Billions Money Laundering Charges

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), at the Kuje Correctional Centre, pending the hearing of his bail application.

The order also applies to Malami’s co-defendants — his son, Abubakar Malami, and one of his wives, Bashir Asabe. The directive came from Justice Emeka Nwite after hearing arguments from the defense led by Joseph Daudu (SAN) and the prosecution team of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), represented by Ekele Iheneacho (SAN).

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Malami and his co-defendants are facing a 16-count money laundering charge. According to the EFCC, the defendants allegedly conspired to conceal, retain, and disguise the proceeds of unlawful activities totaling several billions of naira.

The charges reportedly span several years and include the use of companies and bank accounts to launder funds, the retention of cash as collateral for loans, and the acquisition of high-value properties in Abuja, Kano, and other locations. Some of the offences allegedly occurred while Malami served as Attorney-General, in violation of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (as amended) and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.

The defendants pleaded not guilty. While the defense urged the court to grant bail on liberal terms, the prosecution opposed it, citing the seriousness of the charges and the magnitude of the alleged financial crimes.

Legal observers describe the case as a high-profile anti-corruption trial in Nigeria, marking one of the most significant prosecutions involving a former chief law officer of the federation. The matter has been adjourned for the hearing and determination of the bail applications.