Motorists in Taraba Groan as Fuel Scarcity Persists

The scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) is causing havoc on both motorists and passengers in Jalingo, Taraba State’s capital.

According to our correspondent, thousands of motorists, both private and commercial, spend hours at filling stations.

Aside from the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) mega station, which is currently dispensing the commodity, marketers in the metropolis of the state capital, Jalingo, have made their filling stations inaccessible to motorists.

Some motorists who spoke with our correspondent blamed marketers for the commodity’s scarcity in the state capital and its surrounding areas.

They claimed that the artificial scarcity was caused by marketers who they accused of hoarding products, and that authorities should devise ways to bring such marketers to justice as soon as possible.

The motorists also accused security personnel of collaborating with marketers to cause untold hardships for the residents.

Citing how security agencies have allowed marketers to sell out products to black marketers, they called for the formation of a special task force to checkmate marketers and security operatives tasked with monitoring sales.

According to Mahmud Usman, a commercial driver who claimed to have been in line for five hours, the situation that motorists are in would have been addressed if our security men had done their jobs properly.

“Most of these filling stations have fuel but refuse to sell it because they prefer to sell to black marketeers late at night.” Marketers are able to do so because they have the support of security agencies.”

Other drivers claimed that both marketers and security agencies were contributing to the situation at most gas stations.

According to Attahiru Suleiman, who also claimed to have been prevented from traveling to Abuja for an interview, the situation has compelled commercial drivers to raise their transportation fares.

In response to the allegations leveled against security agencies, the state Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ugwuja Edwin, denied the allegations, describing them as false, through his spokesperson, Godwin Peter.

He stated that the Command has been working around the clock to thwart sharp practices in filling stations, and he urged the public not to be afraid to provide the command with genuine information that would assist the command in clamping down on defaulting filling stations.