Authorities of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps in Benue State yesterday ordered its men to embark on a total clampdown on fuel black marketers and arrest any filling station operators that indulge in sharp practices at the filling stations. State Commandant of the corps, Mr. Ogumba Andrew, who gave the order in a statement, also ordered the immediate stoppage of illegal sale of fuel and other sharp practices currently being perpetrated by some members of the public in connivance with petrol station operators in the state.
Ogumba said the command of the NSCDC has dispatched armed patrol team to monitor activities at all filling stations across the state to curb the menace of black marketers in order to ensure the smooth sale of petroleum products to the public. The commandant urged members of the public to report any person found wanting in this regard to the command for necessary action.
Meanwhile, prices of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, has continued to skyrocket in Benue State, following the acute shortage of the product at filling stations, causing untold hardship to motorists.
Officials of the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, in the state have since the commencement of the fuel scarcity, been adamant and have allegedly been accused of complicity in the crisis.
When New Telegraph went to town to monitor the situation yesterday, it was gathered that at Golden Ecstasy and Kyabiz fillings stations respectively, were selling at between N210 to N215 per litre, while others were completely shut down over claims of non-availability of the product. Filling stations, where motorists suspected, had fuel, had long queues of vehicles where owners waited patiently for days to buy only to be told the commodity was not in stock.
Some private and commercial vehicle owners were also cited at the NNPC mega station located along the Makurdi-Otukpo road, but were not dispensing fuel, just as motorcyclists and others who wanted to buy in generators were forced to resort to black marketers, who were selling at between N270 and N300 per litre.
A motorist who parked his vehicle at the NNPC mega station, told New Telegraph that he kept his car there since Tuesday last week with the hope that the station will be opened for normal sale of petrol, but to no avail, saying he will continue to remain on queue until he gets the commodity since he cannot afford to patronise black marketers. New Telegraph learnt that as a result of the recalcitrant increase in fuel prices, transport fares and prices of food items have also increased drastically
