[Breaking] Resurfaced fuel queues: NNPC heaps blame on Sallah

The Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has said the long sallah celebration was responsible for the mild queues in the federal capital territory. 

Fuel queues resurfaced at the weekend in the FCT.

This is after motorists in the city endured a hallowing three months of fuel scarcity with black marketers having a field day. 

According to the Garba Deen Muhammad, NNPCL’s spokesman, in a statement added that depots have been experiencing low loadouts.

“The NNPC Ltd  notes the sudden appearance of fuel queues in parts of Abuja. This is very likely due to low loadouts at depots which usually happen during long public holidays, in this case, the Sallah celebrations. 

“Another contributing factor to the sudden appearances of queues is the increased fuel purchases which is also usual with returning residents of the FCT from the public holidays,” the statement said. 

According to Muhammad, the NNPC and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) in conjunction with marketers will ramp up loadouts from all depots. 

The oil corporation, therefore, assured “all residents of the FCT, and indeed all Nigerians, that we have ample local supplies and national stock in excess of 2.5 billion liters, with sufficiency of more than 43 days. 

“The NNPC Ltd hereby advises motorist not to engage in panic buying as supplies are adequate as will become increasingly evident in the coming days,” NNPC said.