Fuel scarcity persisted as a result of the ongoing hunger protest that started on Thursday, halting the loading of petrol at the depots in Lagos.
Sources said that the depot owners declined to open for business due to concerns over potential violence, according to The Punch.
Recall that the fuel scarcity started last weekend in Abuja, Lagos, Ogun, Niger and other states, raising the price of petrol to around N1,000 per litre.
Black marketers had taken advantage of the situation, cashing out with some states seeing litres of petrol sold for as much as N1,300.
It was reported on Wednesday that the fuel vessels were arriving one after the other to discharge petrol.
Operators however said that in order to guarantee the nationwide distribution of fuel, more vessels needed to berth at the ports during the weekend.
However, as the protest started on Thursday, the depot owners reportedly refused to load the product over security concerns.
Members of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers were prepared to assist the depots in loading fuel, according to an operator who pleaded anonymity, but the depot operators hesitated to take the risk.
“There were no activities at the Lagos depots on Thursday and Friday for two obvious reasons. One, we are still battling the paucity of the product, and two, the security concern on the roads after loading due to the hardship protest.
“NUPENG is ready to support depots to load, but the security situation is a drawback. Hopefully, if the situation improves later today loading may continue tomorrow,” the source stated.
It was earlier reported that Tanker drivers had stated that they would continue to load fuel even during the protest.
The President of the National Association of Transport Owners, Yusuf Othman, said in an interview that he had directed members of the association to continue lifting fuel but should be careful.
According to him, NARTO will not partake in the planned protest, nor will it stop its operations.
“NARTO is not part of this planned protest; we don’t support it and will not partake in it. We have told our members to continue the work they are doing. Nobody should park his truck because any drop in business will bring a lot of scarcity and we don’t want to get involved.
“Everybody is scared and this is the time when we should be able to service everybody to ensure fuel is circulated across the country. We have told our people to continue the good work they are doing, they should just be careful,” Othman stated.
