Despite NNPC’s ‘robust stock’, petrol queues are back in Abuja

This development is coming less than two weeks after a three-week petrol scarcity abated in the nation’s capital. Our reporter observed on Thursday that only a handful of filling stations were selling petrol to motorists across the city. The others were closed. The queues have led to gridlocks around the nation’s capital making it difficult for motorists to navigate through the city. But in a statement, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) urged motorists not to engage in panic buying of petroleum products. Ndu Ughamadu, spokesman of the NNPC, said the corporation had a robust stock of petrol as it would serve the nation for more than 30 days. “This plea comes on the heels of queues noticeable in some fuel stations, especially in Abuja,” he said. “Motorists are advised to report any marketer selling above N145 per litre of petrol or hoarding the products to the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) which is statutorily empowered to deal with such issues. “DPR has offices located in all parts of the country and law enforcement agencies would mete out appropriate sanctions to operators of fuel stations who engage in hoarding or sell products above the recommended band.”]]>