Fuel scarcity bites hard in Ilorin

ILORIN – The entire kwara state capital,ilorin was brought down to its knees Friday by harsh scarcity of petroleum products which caused major roads in the city to be deserted while pedestrians took to long distance trekking to their various destinations.Many vehicles were seen abandoned on que at various petrol stations for days‎,for fuels that refused to come.The scenario, was the climax of the situation which started since about  two weeks ago, forcing many filling stations to close shops, while few petrol stations which dispensed fuel sell at exorbitant prices.It was also gathered that almost all NNPC mega stations in the metropolis had stopped dispensing fuel to buyers in the past few weeks, thus contributing to scarcity and hike in pump price at few private filling stations where the product was sold.Against the stipulated N87 pump price of petrol per litre, the commodity now sells for between N120 and N200 per litre, depending on locations where it is available for sale.At most filling stations which had petrol to sell within Ilorin metropolis, the product is sold for between N120 and N140 per litre, while it is sold for between N170 and N200 per litre outside the metropolis.Vanguard gathered that the lack or near absence of vehicles on the roads was as a result of the complaints by motorists in ilorin that they could not get the petroleum product to buy, while many people drive long distance in of search petrol to buy to enable them work.“What do we do? We have family to take care of. We can’t sleep at home now. I had to go all round before I could get what I could afford at N200 per litre. We have to work to eat now. I can’t steal. God forbids”, a commercial motorcycle operator, Abdulkareem Toyin, lamented.It was also gathered that the situation had caused hike in transportation fares, as N50 taxi and commercial motorcycle fare per drop now obtained between N80 and N100, also depending on the distance.The inter-state transport fares had also gone up, as Ilorin to Ibadan fares had moved up to N1, 200 and N1, 400 for Bus and car respectively from original fares of N1,000 and N1, 200.The Ilorin-Lagos fares, which used to be between n1, 400 and N1, 600 had been increased to between N1, 600 and N1,800.However, many commercial drivers, had blamed the persistent fuel scarcity in the state on the attitude of dealers of fuel stations, accusing them of hoarding.Some  fuel dealers in the state who spoke with Saturday Vanguard  said supply was not coming from Ibadan and other parts of South West, thus bringing about the fuel scarcity situation.