By David Orji
Fuel stations have become either choked up or empty on Sunday as motorists lament scarcity of the product.
A survey by the NPO Reports Sunday showed that many filling stations were empty. The few who were selling the product were filled up with long queues stretching as long as one kilometer long.
An NNPC outlet on Yaya Abatan Road, was shut against customers just as an independent marketing outlet opposite it was selling as at 8:30pm on Sunday.
At the Mobil Filling Station on Lateef Jakande Road, Ikeja, motorists had queued for fuel only for the filling station to stop selling at about 5pm.
No reason was given for the decision to stop the sale.
A car owner who spoke with the NPO Reports at the Mobil outlet in Ikeja said he had been on the queue for about one hour after which they were told to drive out of the station as the station was ready to shut down.
“I even begged them to at least sell like five liters for me so I could move my car out and then possibly manage to drive it home.
“I was coming from Magodo and going to Iju and this is the last hope for me,” said Mr. David Olabanro whose Toyota Sienna was parked directly outside the filling station.
Another car owner, Mr. Felix Anpa whose car ran out of fuel along the Oba Akran Way Ikeja said he had to find a place to park in front of Nigerite Bus Stop pending Monday when he is able to come back for his car.
“One, I have no more money on e and the fuel hot exhausted. The sufferings is getting out of hand.”
He said he had gone to Somolu where he was handling a printing job which unfortunately the client didn’t pay for as promised on Saturday.
“I left Somolu this morning and hoped to get to my place at Agbado but the car ran out of fuel,” he lamented.
Others who spoke with our correspondent lamented the high cost of the fuel in the few stations where it is available.
The reason for the scarcity was not clear as at press time.
However, Mr. Femi Soneye, Chief Corporate Corporate Communications Officer of the NNPC promised to get back to us on the reason for the noticeable queues in Lagos.