Petrol queues: Black marketers make brisk business in Abuja

Roadside sellers (Black marketers) of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as petrol are making brisk business as queues persist in few filling stations in the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT), Abuja.

A visit round the city by our correspondent on Wednesday revealed that most filling stations did not open for business.

It was observed that long queues were witnessed in most NNPC stations that were dispensing.

Along the Kubwa express way, a litre of petrol officially sold between N158 and N162 was sold by the road side sellers for N250 to N300.

One of the sellers who identified himself as Musa, told our correspondent, “I bought this fuel yesterday from the filling station; I have sold 10 litres for N3,000.

“Madam, if you want to buy I can sell N2,500, last price,” he said.

However, Conoil, MRS, Rainoil, Mobil, Dan oil, AA Rano and Shema petrol stations along Kubwa express way did not open for business.

Recall that the NNPC had cautioned motorists against panic buying of the commodity, assuring of normalcy in the supply of petroleum products.

Dr Kennie Obateru, NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division said that the long queues currently being experienced was due to the curfew imposed in some states over the #EndSARS protests.

He said that the curfew affected the free movement of vehicles for the supply of products, but assured of normalcy in a couple of days.

“The disruptions and curtailment of free flow of vehicular movement occasioned by the #EndSARS protests, the attendant curfews, restrictions and vandalism affect the supply.

“Normalcy is expected to return to petroleum products supply chain in the next couple of days.

“There is no need for panic buying, be rest assured that supply will soon return to the entire country,” he said.