Metro

Scarcity Hits Major Cities, Fuel Sells N180/Litre As NNPC Cuts Supplies

Published

2 years ago

June 21, 2022

Editor

Fuel queues hit major cities of Lagos, Abuja and Ogun on Monday, forcing motorists to spend hours at filling stations.

In Lagos and Ogun states, The PUNCH witnessed long queues at several filling stations such as Mobil, Capital, Fatgbems, Enyo, Total Energies and NNPC.

Though there were products at these filling stations, which also sold at N165/litre, motorists struggled to get gasoline with which to run their economic lives.

There were also queues in states bordering the FCT, including Nasarawa and Niger.

In the Federal Capital Territory, there were long queues at various filling stations such as the NNPC, Mobil, A.A. Rano, AYA Ashafa, Enyo, among others.

Hundreds of motorists besieged the few filling stations that dispensed petrol at various states, spending hours on queues in a bid to buy PMS.

Oil marketers blamed the development on the drop in supply, stating that the demand for petrol was currently higher than what was being provided by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.

NNPC is the sole importer of petrol into Nigeria, shouldering this responsibility for more then four years.

Speaking on the development, the President, Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, PETROAN, Billy Gillis-Harry, said, “Lagos is having queues today, Kaduna is almost not having any PMS in its retail outlets.

“So, it is simply a situation of demand overwhelming supply. The supply process is not efficient to be able to meet the demands for products.”

Asked to explain whether there was not enough product, Gillis-Harry replied, “Well, clearly, if there is product, it should be delivered. However, I know the authorities are doing their best to make sure that everyone is monitored and encouraged to sell products at the approved pump price.

“But there are no products in the retail outlets, which is why there will be queues. So, it clearly shows that demand has overwhelmed supply.”

But last Thursday, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority had stated that there were over 32 days sufficiency of petrol by the NNPC.

Also, The PUNCH learnt that the NNPC intentionally cut down supply of products to fuel marketers.

A source familiar with the matter told The PUNCH that marketers, two weeks ago, had a meeting with the marketing arm of the NNPC and the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company, PPMC, where they were quizzed on diversion of petroleum products to neighbouring countries.

According to the source, the supply of products to oil marketers was subsequently reduced due to issues around product diversion.

“We had a meeting with PPMC two weeks ago where we were told that the volume of product we load is too high. So, the NNPC has reduced the volume they give to us,” the source said.

Nigeria consumes an estimated 60 million litres of fuel per day. However, findings showed that by PPMC’s record, marketers loaded as much as 106 million litres per day as of April.

“So, PPMC kept lamenting and asking us where the extra products go. Of course, we all know that they go to neighbouring countries where they are being sold at higher prices. Apart from the fact that diesel price for transporting products is on the high side, fuel is a product highly subsidised by Nigeria, and Nigerians are not allowed to enjoy the benefits,” our source disclosed.

Diesel is a deregulated product. Checks on Monday showed that the product was sold between N780-N820/litre.

“That’s why marketers find it difficult to take products to the North. I don’t know why Lagos is experiencing scarcity. Already, buying and transporting the product to my station is at N170 per litre. So, how much will I sell? That means price has increased itself. If you go to states like Ibadan, Ekiti, Akure, it’s impossible to see the price at N165 because cost of transporting one litre is already N20. So, by the time you take it to states like Ekiti, you already have it at N182,” our source added.

A former chairman, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria and Chairman/CEO, 11 Plc, Tunji Oyebanji, told The PUNCH that the scarcity was temporary.

“As of last week, there were some talks about low stock and suppliers not giving products, but I think it’s a temporary glitch because NNPC told us they have sufficient stock of fuel,” he said.

Fuel sold at N165/ltr in places like Ikorodu, Anthony, Surulere, Ikeja, Festac, Ago and VI in Lagos on Monday, but prices were higher at Isheri and its neighbouring towns.

In a telephone interview with The PUNCH, the National Operations Controller, IPMAN, Mike Osatuyi, said the scarcity was no fault of oil marketers.

Meanwhile, the Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Akeem Balogun, in a statement on Monday, said that considering the current price, it is impossible for the product to be sold at N180 per litre.

Balogun advised members to sell at a sustainable price within their environment adding that they should ensure that the price is on their pump.

“Distinguish marketers, the Chairman and executives in conjunction with some senior members of our unit, organised a press conference where we explained our predicament with the current price of PMS at private depot. We explained that with the current price, there is no way we can sell less than N180 per litre”

According to him, “On this note, members are hereby advised to sell at a sustainable price within their environment. Just make sure that the price is on your pump. Kindly contact the Secretariat should you have any authority challenging your operations”

Metro

VIDEO: Hundreds Of Abandoned Ikoyi Towers Illegal Occupants Get 48-hour Eviction Notice

Published

4 hours ago

May 5, 2024

Editor

The Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources has issued a 48-hour eviction notice to illegal occupants of the Ikoyi Towers in the Lagos Island area of the state.

The state Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this during an inspection of the estate on Saturday.

In a post on X.com, Wahab stated that hundreds of undocumented residents were seen in the premises, which lacked sanitary provisions.

He added that they pose security and environmental threats to the state, hence the eviction notice.

Wahab wrote, “Abandoned Ikoyi Towers which we observed were housing illegal occupants posing a security threat to the environment and a nuisance to the state.

“An undocumented number of persons running into hundreds were seen on the premises with no sanitary provisions and whose daily activities could not be ascertained.

“They have been given a 48-hour vacation notice to leave the area.”

The commissioner further stated that the team also conducted an inspection to assess the enforcement of Osborne under bridge after the illegal structures harbouring several people were removed.”

Recall that on Wednesday that the state government discovered 86 partitioned rooms under the Dolphin Estate Bridge in Ikoyi, where tenants were said to be paying N250,000 per annum for the makeshift apartment.

Watch video below courtesy The PUNCH

𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐎: 𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐎𝐟 𝐀𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐈𝐤𝐨𝐲𝐢 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐈𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐥 𝐎𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝟒𝟖-𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐄𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞
The Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources has issued a 48-hour eviction notice to illegal occupants… pic.twitter.com/yrd5e2SS95
— Punch Newspapers (@MobilePunch) May 4, 2024

Metro

5-year-old Girl Allegedly Defiled, Mother Demands Justice

Published

4 hours ago

May 5, 2024

Editor

A woman, Rita Ebirim, has demanded justice following the alleged defilement of her five-year-old daughter by her brother-in-law in Lagos.

The distraught mother, who spoke with our correspondent on Friday, explained that her estranged husband had filed a divorce on August 2, 2022, and while waiting for the trial, she was ordered by the court to allow the father to have access to their daughter.

Ebirim explained that her daughter was defiled during her second visit to her father by his brother.

She said, “One day in February last year, he came to pick her up for the first time in the morning and returned her in the evening. That day I sensed that something was wrong with my girl and I voiced my suspicion to my lawyer but he waved it off.

“The next time, he came to take her to visit him and she returned to me at night beyond the speculated time. Later, when I wanted to bathe her, she started crying, pushing my hands away, that I shouldn’t touch her ‘there’.

“When I asked her who touched her there she told me her uncle touched her.

Ebirim said when she called her daughter’s father, he said he didn’t do anything to her and immediately told her to take the girl to the hospital “knowing full well that it was late at night”.

“I took her to two hospitals and after she was examined, the doctors said she had bruises on her private parts, that she had been sexually molested,” she added.

Suspect remanded for allegedly defiling three-year-old daughter
Sunday Special learned that the case was reported to the Ketu police station and also the Lagos State Sexual and Domestic Violence Agency.

“Although the suspect was arrested, he was later released on bail, and up till now, we are still awaiting a hearing in court. The case has needlessly dragged on and it feels that justice is elusive,” Ebirim added.

Giving an update on the case, the Executive Secretary of the DSVA, Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, in a chat with our correspondent, disclosed that a forensic interview had been conducted for the child and that the case had been referred to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.

She said, “The agency received a report of an alleged case of defilement on February 20, 2023, against one X. It was alleged that Mr O has allegedly abused her sexually during her visit to Mr O.”

Vivour-Adeniyi further said the agency immediately referred the case officially to the Ketu divisional police station on the same day.

“The case was also referred to State CID, Panti, on February 21, 2023, where investigations were conducted with all parties involved. Two officers from the agency were also assigned to support the survivors’ mother at the police station.

“The agency subsequently referred the case to Cece Yara Child Advocacy Centre for a forensic interview to be conducted. The forensic interview was successfully conducted in April 2023. The case file was forwarded to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions for legal advice,” she added.
PUNCH

Metro

VIDEO: Woman, Baby Involved In Lagos Car Accident

Published

5 hours ago

May 5, 2024

Editor

A woman, her toddler and a motorcyclist popularly known as Okada rider were reportedly involved in a car accident on the Festac Link Bridge in the Ammuo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State on Saturday night.

It was gathered that the incident occurred on Saturday night around 11:00pm.

Joshua Davids, who witnessed the accident, said, “What really happened at Amuwo Link Bridge, tonight’s accident, is that the car, the driver hit a woman and a baby on her back. So actually, they have rushed the woman and the baby to the hospital.

“The driver is safe because there is an airbag. There is protection for him in the car. So he is safe now and he has already rushed the woman and her baby to the hospital.

When asked about the Okada rider, he said, “They have also rushed him to the hospital. The three of them are unconscious. I was walking down from the back, from the backside. I was also coming from Festac, so I saw everything that happened. He also almost hit me.”

David, who showed his injury in a video, added, “I have to save myself. I have to. If not, what would I be saying by now? I thank God for my life. Thank God. Thank you very much.”

Another witness who spoke anonymously to our reporter said, “I was on my way home, I had a loud sound coming from the top of the bridge. I rushed down and saw a woman with her toddler on the ground. The bike rider seemed unconscious.

Narrating what might have happened that led to the crash, he said, “The vehicle had double-crossed his lane and jumped into the other lane coming towards Festac and had hit the Okada rider, and the Okada rider was carrying a woman and her toddler.

“She had injuries on her legs I asked her where she felt pain, and she said her head mostly. The driver who drove the car was okay and rushed the victims to the hospital.”

The police had yet to reach the venue of the incident as of the time of filing this report.

𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐈𝐍: 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧, 𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐫 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭
A woman, her toddler and a motorcyclist popularly known as Okada rider were reportedly involved in a car accident on the Festac Link Bridge in the Ammuo Odofin Local Government Area of… pic.twitter.com/3uBNaLhrBf
— Punch Newspapers (@MobilePunch) May 4, 2024