Pipeline vandalism at Arepo Village in Ogun State, on Monday, may have slowed down distribution of petroleum products in Lagos area, thereby aggrevating the fuel scarcity which has lasted for three days.
The vandalism, which was discovered late Monday night, has affected the distribution of the product in Lagos.
The Public Affairs Manager of the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC), Mr. Ralph Egwu, said that the supply line of fuel had been turned off at Mosinmi Depot pending the time the fire would be finally put out.
Egwu said that firefighters from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), had made efforts to put out the fire, but pending the repairs of the pipeline, Mosinmi would distribute at a low level, until every drop of petrol inside the pipeline was used.
He however claimed that no life was lost in the fire outbreak at the Arepo pipeline channel in Ogun State.
There seems to be no end to the fuel scarcity which had made a mark in Lagos, leaving commuters stranded, businesses paralysed, and hike in transport fares.
With nine days to Christmas, checks by the Nigerian Tribune revealed that in view of the current realities, many motorists, weary of being stranded – were compelled to purchase petrol at deregulated prices at petrol stations and at the black market at prices ranging from N230 to N250 per litre.