Real reason fuel scarcity resurfaced in Lagos, other cities as NUPENG protests police extortion

Fuel queues have resurfaced in Lagos and other cities in Nigeria, this time with intensity.

The queues, which began to form on Monday, November 21, 2022, took many by surprise after coming out of one penultimate week.

Scarcity blamed on extortion by police, others

As of Tuesday, November 22, most filling stations reported that they had run out of petrol, sending motorists into a frenzy and panic-buying.

According to reporting by BusinessDay, this comes following a threat by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) that they would withdraw their services.

NUPENG said the activities of hoodlums, extortions by security agents and violent attacks have made it difficult for them to continue to operate.

The group's general secretary, Afolabi Olawale, wrote to the Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and security agencies, denouncing the activities of the hoodlums and extortions by agents of the police and other security agencies on Lagos roads.

The body told the governor that if nothing is done about their complaints, they cannot guarantee the continued supply of petrol in Lagos.

Subsidy removal given as alleged reason for fuel scarcity

Aside from the activities of miscreants and harassment by security personnel, the impending removal of the petrol subsidy has been cited as another reason for the persistent fuel scarcity in parts of Nigeria.

Many major marketers are allegedly hoarding the product in anticipation of the removal and against the yuletide.

The development has led to an increase in the pump price of petrol from N165 per litre to N205 per litre or higher in some filling stations.

Zainab Ahmed, Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, had said the Nigerian government would spend about N6.7 trillion on fuel subsidy in 2023.

During the presentation of the N20.51 trillion budget plan for next year to the National Assembly, Ahmed said President Buhari supported the removal of fuel subsidy, saying that the scheme was not sustainable.

She said: “Discontinuing the policy is necessary for the country to manage its limited resources. As a country, we must now confront this issue taking cognisance of the need to provide safety nets to cushion the attendant effects on some segments of society.”