AS the nation groans under the indefinite strike by workers and street protests, hawkers have taken over the petrol market across the country a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) survey has shown.
NAN found that while marketers are willing to sell the commodity at prices ranging from N138 to N150 per litre, stocks are hardly available, thus giving advantage to the hawkers.
NAN checks showed that hawkers were selling the product at rates ranging from N200 to N350 per litre across the country.
In Yenagoa, for example, filling stations sell petrol at prices ranging from N138 to N150 per litre, with motorists easily buying the product at the NNPC Mega-station on Sani Abacha Road at N138 per litre.
However, in coastal communities, the people buy the product at N300 per litre, some residents told NAN on telephone.
In Yola, where at least 10 filling stations were selling fuel on Friday, only the NNPC station, which sold at N138 per litre, had a long queue of vehicles willing to buy.
In other stations, mainly independent marketers, few vehicle owners lined up to buy, because they sold the product at between N141 and 145 per litre.
In Birnin Kebbi, the filling stations sold the commodity in the evening to escape the anger of protesters.
A motorist, Ahmed Idris, told NAN that some stations had resorted to selling the product from 7:30 p. m up to 8:30 p. m at the rate of N150 per litre.
’During the day all filling stations remain closed, probably to avoid the wrath of protesters, but in the night the queues are often long, and there is a lot of struggle.’
Some station attendants said the sale of fuel in the night was safe, explaining that labour officials often picketed stations during the day to ensure compliance to the strike order.
A motorist in Jega Local Government Area, Jafaru Arzika, told NAN that the sale of petrol in the night was tedious, and ‘sometimes we remain in queues at the stations up to 11 p.m.’
‘The confusion at filling stations during the night sales has been due to the large turnout of buyers with plastic containers. But we thank God, there has not been any disaster.’
NAN found that a litre of petrol in the black market costs N200. Similarly, the price of diesel has increased to N200 per litre from N160 both at filling stations and the black market, NAN checks revealed.
In Dutse, hawkers capitalised on the closure of filling stations to make easy money, as motorists and motorcyclists patronised their business.
Currently, fuel costs between N200 and N250 in the black market, and hawkers said they were enjoying increased patronage.
A hawker, Malam Tahir Maman, said he sold four litres of petrol for N1, 000 and 10 litres N2,400 adding that he sold 350 litres in a day on the average, against 60 litres before the strike. He said only generator owners patronised him before the strike.
Another hawker, Malam Ashiru Jibril, expressed happiness over the profit he had made since the strike, saying: ‘This our business is a risky one.
‘Imagine me hoarding about 500 litres of petrol, anything could have happened.
‘Thank God that I have made some money, even if the strike is being called off now.’
Some filling stations in Awka, which opened for business, sold petrol in the guise of dispensing diesel, but NAN found they sold the product at N180 per litre. NAN learnt that some stations sold fuel in the night.
In Jos, filling stations operated normal businesses in spite of the strike. While the NNPC station sold a litre of petrol at N138, others sold at N150.
At the NNPC mega station on Dogo-Karfe Road, NAN met a fairly long queue of vehicles waiting to purchase the commodity.
At the other affiliate stations, such as Oando and Mobil fillings, the commodity was being sold at between N140 to N150 per litre, but hawkers sold at between N200 and N220 for the same quantity.
Checks showed that in Nyanya, within Abuja, and Mararaba, Nasarawa State, some filling stations opened for business.
In Wuse and Central Business District in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the NNPC and Oando on Olusegun Obasanjo Way, opened for business.
While the NNPC sold at N138 per litre, Oando was selling at N141 per litre. Within the same vicinity that NNPC, Oando and AP stations operated in Wuse, hawkers sold four litres of petrol at N1,000; 10 litres for N3,500 and 25 litres at N8,000.
Mr. Yusuf Ibrahim, a hawker, told NAN that he bought the product at N145 per litre from Mararaba, Nassarawa State, at filing stations, adding that it was difficult to buy in jerry cans in stations in Abuja.
Another hawker, Malam Mohammed Useni, said he usually got supplies through the use of his motorcycle and generator, which he later siphoned for sale.
He said the protest was good for him, as it afforded him the opportunity to make quick money.
‘My friends and I have not had any permanent job for sometime now, apart from hiring motorcycle for commercial use. Selling fuel at this time is fetching us extra money.’
He, however, appealed to the Federal Government and labour to find a solution to the dispute in the interest of all.
Mr. Tony Akporiye, a buyer, said he joined the queue at the NNPC station at 5 a.m but entered the station to buy fuel at 10 a.m. ‘Getting the fuel is very important to me and after that, I will decide on what to do next.’
Mr. Anthony Nwaeze, a taxi driver, said he left his house at 5.12 a.m. to join the fuel queue, adding, ‘I bought four litres from the black market when my fuel finished on the queue, to be able to get here. ‘This is what I do everyday to sustain my business.’
NAN reports that many filing stations in the FCT, including Total, AP and Conoil were still closed.
While the NNPC stations in Nyanya and Mararaba sold fuel at N138, other stations, such as AP and Sani brothers, sold at N142.
A motorist at the AP Station at Nyanya, Mr Emeka Ugwu, said: ‘I don’t have a comment about the price because it may be based on the cost of buying the product. I am coming from Keffi axis and most of the stations are closed down, and others with the product had queues, that is why I am here.’
A commercial bus driver, Mr James Matthew, said he had no alternative, because he desperately needed the product. ‘All my profit goes into buying fuel at the end of the day.
‘I am appealing to the Federal Government and labour to find a way round the fuel subsidy removal in the interest of the poor.’
Mr. John Abbey said he was at the station to handle an emergency case, not really minding how much the fuel costs.
‘The station is selling at N142 per litre, but thank God, it’s available, but I will be happy if the Federal Government reverts to its original price.’
NAN reports that policemen and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps personnel manned the entrances of NNPC stations in the FCT.
In Wuse 2 area of Abuja, hawkers sold petrol in jerry cans. In the area, 10 litres of petrol cost N2,800 and 20 litres, N5,500.
A motorist, Mr Jerry Obidi, told NAN at the NNPC Mega Station, Kubwa, that he queued for two and a half hours before buying petrol.
A filling Station Manager, Mr. Gabriel Anebi, told NAN that the major challenge was the shortfall in the supply of the product.
‘At the rate we are dispensing, the existing stock, which was procured before the strike began, would run out in three hours.
‘We will stop dispensing after we have exhausted what we have until we refill from the Suleja depot.
Our trucks could not load in the last four days, because of the strike, and as soon as the strike is called off, and we are able to lift products from the Suleja depot, we will commence sale.’ The filling stations in Kaduna remained closed and as such, hawkers, especially youths, went to nearby local government areas to get supplies for sale at N160 per litre.
‘We risk our lives to buy fuel from neighbouring local government areas at high cost. How do you expect us to dispose of it at the current pump price?’ one hawker asked.
Meanwhile, many transporters have parked their vehicles, awaiting the outcome of the meeting between the Federal Government and the labour unions.
Consequently, the few commercial vehicles and motorcycles on the road are charging very high fares.
As a result of petrol scarcity at filling stations in Port Harcourt, black marketers are exploiting the situation and selling the product between N200 and N250 per litre.
Some hawkers said they sold at higher prices to persons buying in jerry cans than to vehicle owners, adding that they made a profit of N50 on their cost of purchase.
They said that as the filling stations were running out of supply, they would soon close their business since they would no longer be able to get supplies.
A hawker, Mrs Esther Akpan, said the business had sustained the activities of many motorists since the strike started.
‘I have already planned another business to embark upon incase this one closes down, but I pray the strike will stop today.
Mrs. Nkechi Emeto said that she trusted in God that the strike would either stop or some filling stations would start selling.
Meanwhile, Total filling stations started selling petrol on Friday after receiving allocation from their company.
A manager at the Total filling station on Ikwere Road, Mr John Erekosima, said he received 11,000 litres on Thursday night.
‘Immediately I received this last night, I opened sale this morning to help lessen the suffering of my people over fuel scarcity.’
He said that he bought the product at N140.50K per litre and sold at the same price, considering that the state government had said each litre should sell at N137.
NAN findings showed that all NNPC stations are selling fuel, but there are long queues.