The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) has delivered petrol to depots in Port Harcourt and Warri in an effort to alleviate the fuel scarcity and long queues at filling stations across the country.
Oil marketers confirmed that daughter vessels were used to transport the fuel to these depots, helping to reduce the pressure on the Apapa depot in Lagos, where numerous trucks have been waiting to load petrol for distribution nationwide.
Despite the move, the supply remains insufficient to fully address the scarcity.
As the fuel scarcity continues, particularly in Lagos, the state task force has intensified its crackdown on black marketers who are exploiting the situation by selling fuel illegally.
The task force has seized large quantities of fuel and plans to prosecute those involved in the illegal trade.
Meanwhile, motorists and passengers express frustration over the high fuel prices and long queues, with some accusing fuel station attendants of corrupt practices that further exacerbate the situation.
In Kano State, the fuel crisis has led to exorbitant prices, with petrol selling for as high as N1,000 per liter.
Motorists blame fuel marketers for creating artificial scarcity to hike prices, urging the Federal Government to intervene.
The state chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) explained that the high prices are due to increased costs from Lagos, making it difficult for marketers to sell at lower prices without incurring losses.