Thousands of commuters and motorists in Anambra State were stranded on Wednesday following the shouting down of petrol stations across the state.

It was gathered that most petrol stations in the major cities of Awka, Onitsha, Nnewi, Umunze, Ekwulobia and other environs were dispensing fuel on Wednesday morning.

From the Upper Iweka parks in Onitsha to the Aroma roundabout in Awka and other major cities, the situation was the same.

As a result, the limited number of vehicles on the road significantly raised transport fares by more than 200 per cent.

READ ALSO: VIDEO: Force PRO Orders Arrest Officers Caught On Video Bashing Driver’s Car

Commuters who managed to get on the few available buses were forced to pay exorbitant prices.

For example, commercial transporters charge N500 for a trip of N200, whereas a trip of N500 costs between N1,200 and N1,500.

The sudden development caught numerous commuters off guard, forcing several commuters to trek to different locations.

It was also observed that many offices and business premises have not been opened as of 10:30 am because employees have not reported for duty.

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The reason why the petrol stations were shut down could not be immediately ascertained.

Meanwhile, the development generated a lot of mixed feelings among the public.

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While some people believed that the petrol stations were on strike, others believed that it was a deliberate attempt by the marketers to increase the pump price of the commodity.

A tricycle operator plying the Onitsha axis, identified as Tochukwu, said, “I bought fuel from the black market for as high as N1,350 per litre this morning to do work as we discovered that filling stations did not open.

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“Some of my colleagues went to Asaba in Delta State to get the product, that is why the prices of transportation are high this morning.

“We don’t know why the filling stations are shut, but we are hearing that it is like they are in a meeting somewhere in Awka.

“We have experienced this kind of situation before and when they came back from their meeting that day, they hiked the pump price of petrol. It’s likely to be the same situation, we are watching as events unfold.”

A commuter at Awka, identified as Chinwe Okeke, said, “I have been standing at the Regina Caelis bus stop, for over two hours waiting to board a vehicle to UNIZIK, but it has been difficult. The vehicles that are coming have been charging very exorbitantly, I don’t know what is really happening.”

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Contacted about the development, the Anambra State Commissioner for Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Anthony Ifeanya, said, “There is no cause for alarm and commuters and motorists should not panic.

“It’s likely that the petrol marketers are in a meeting and whenever they are having such a meeting, shutting down petrol stations is a way of compelling every member to attend the meeting. Their meeting usually starts from morning till noon.”

It was also observed that the sudden fare hike also affected both inter-state and intra-state movements.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, has ordered the arrest of officers caught on video bashing a driver’s car.

He condemned the incident and called for immediate action to identify and invite the officers involved.

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An X user had shared the video with caption, “Can we agree finally say na animals una carry guns and uniforms give?… The Nigerian Police is the most unprofessional in the entire solar system.”

Reacting to the video Olumuyiwa wrote, “This is condemned totally. How can human beings be behaving in this unholy manner. #BenHundeyin, #LagosPoliceNG, #PoliceNG_CRU take necessary action. Fish out and Invite the men immediately. Thanks.”

VIDEO: Force PRO Orders Arrest Of Officers Caught On Video Bashing Driver's Car

The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, has ordered the arrest of officers caught on video bashing a driver's car.

He condemned the incident and called for immediate action to… pic.twitter.com/RdikOS5ZzK

— Punch Newspapers (@MobilePunch) April 24, 2024

Fresh revelations have emerged on the probe of former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as the anti-graft commission says the embattled ex-governor withdrew $720,000 from the state’s accounts to pay his child’s school fees in advance just before he left office on January 27, 2024.

EFCC chief Ola Olukoyede made this known in a chat with journalists at the Commission’s headquarters in the Jabi area of Abuja on Tuesday.

Olukoyede alleged that Bello moved the money from the state coffers to a Bureau de Change operator, and used the money for his child’s school fee in advance.

He said, “A sitting governor, because he knew he was leaving office, moved money directly from the government to Bureau de Change (and) used it to pay his child’s school fee in advance.

“Over $720,000 or thereabout, in anticipation that he was going to leave the Government House. In a poor state like Kogi? And you want me to close my eyes under the guise of ‘I’m being used’. Used by who? At this stage of my life? Used by who?

“I didn’t initiate the case; I inherit the case, I called for the case file and I said there are issues here.”

READ ALSO: BREAKING: EFCC Chair Vows To Follow Yahaya Bello’s Prosecution To Conclusion

The EFCC chair sworn to follow the prosecution of the ex-governor to logical conclusion, saying that he will resign as EFCC chairman if Bello is not prosecuted.

He also vowed that all those who obstructed the arrest of the former governor would be brought to book.

The EFCC is seeking to arraign Bello on 19 counts bordering on alleged money laundering, breach of trust and misappropriation of funds to the tune of N80.2 billion.

He said that no matter what anyone does or the amount of attack against the anti-graft agency, he and his men will not relent in helping to sanitise the country.

Bello was the governor of the North Central state from January 27, 2016 to January 27, 2024 when he handed over to his fellow partyman in the All Progressives Congress (APC), Usman Ododo.

READ ALSO: JUST IN: Court Orders EFCC To Serve Yahaya Bello N80bn Fraud Charges Through His Lawyer

On April 17, 2024, armed EFCC operatives laid siege to Bello’s Abuja residence to arrest him but Ododo arrived at the house and allegedly whisked away his predecessor.

The EFCC subsequently declared Bello wanted, warning that obstruction to its operations won’t be tolerated, a moved backed by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, who advised Bello to turn himself in.

Legal Fireworks

Meanwhile, the EFCC has served a copy of the charge sheet of alleged fraud to the tune of N80bn against the immediate past governor on his lawyer, Abdulwahab Mohamed.

This followed a Tuesday order by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja after Bello’s absence in court.

He was absent from court for his arraignment on a 19-count charge of alleged money laundering to the tune of ₦80bn.

The judge relied on section 384 (4 and 5) of the Administrative and Criminal Justice Act 2015, directing the counsel to the immediate past governor to receive a copy of the charge.

READ ALSO: Why Yahaya Bello Was Absent In Court — Lawyer

The court held that where it had become impossible to effect personal service of a legal process on a defendant, such could be done through substituted means.

Justice Nwite further held that it was clear that the former governor failed to appear in court for his arraignment.

Although Bello’s lawyer, Mohammed, initially declined to accept the charges and proof of evidence, he was compelled to do so by Justice Nwite.

The judge rejected the plea by the senior lawyer that a junior lawyer in his team, AI Musa, be the one to accept the charges on behalf of the former governor.

A member of the legal team for Bello, Adedayo Adedipe, told the court that his client would have made himself available, but was afraid of lack of fair hearing and justice.

He added that Bello was ready to appear before the court to answer the 19-count charge preferred against him by the EFCC.

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Adedipe urged the court, to set aside the ex-parte order of arrest it had earlier issued against the former governor, saying that at the time the order of arrest was made, the charge had not been served on his client.

Illegal Organisation?

Bello had argued that the EFCC was an illegal organisation. According to him, the Federal Government did not consult the 36 states of the federation before enacting the EFCC Act through the National Assembly. He added that section 12 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, required the various Houses of Assembly to ratify the act before it could become operative.

Counsel to the EFCC, Kemi Phinheiro, however, urged the court to dismiss the application, insisting that the warrant of arrest should not be set aside until the defendant makes himself available for trial.

He argued that Bello did not have the legal ground to file numerous applications while in hiding.

Justice Nwite had last week issued a bench warrant against Bello following an application to that effect by EFCC.

The EFCC subsequently declared the former governor wanted for his persistent absence in court and for evading the criminal charges against him.

Source: Channels TV