“Black Markets” Spring Up in Kwara as Fuel Scarcity Bites Harder
More black markets spots for the sale Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, are daily springing up in different parts of llorin metropolis.
This followed the lingering fuel scarcity being experienced in parts of the country.
The commodity is being displayed at various major roads where several motorists, technicians and households are patronising them.
Post office area, Marsha motorpark, Sawmill area, Surulere, Adeta, Geri Alimi, Odota, among others, are some of the areas petrol is being sold in Ilorin.
Some of the operators are artisans who abandoned their jobs to grab the opportunity of the fuel scarcity and some unemployed youths.
A five litre jerry can of the commodity is sold between N1,600 and N2,000, depending on bargain and current situation of demand by the consumers.
A car hire operator, Mr. Tunde AbdulRasheed, told NAN that the situation was terrible as he always buy five litres of petrol from the black marketers for N2,000.
He appealed to the Federal Government to urgently arrest the situation which, he noted, had affected socio-economic activities of the country.
Consequently, commercial vehicle operators, including tricycles operators and commercial motorcyclists, have increased fares by 100 per cent.
Chaotic and long queues are seen at the few fuelling stations in some parts of the metropolis dispensing petrol.
An official at the Kwara office of the Department of the Petroleum Resources said they were barred from fielding questions from newsmen on the fuel situation in the country.