In a dramatic turn of events, motorists in Kebbi state are trooping to neighbouring Niger Republic to buy petroleum products as a result of the acute shortage and exorbitant increase in the pump price being experienced in Nigeria for the past two weeks.
An investigation conducted by Blueprint in Kamba, a border town in Kebbi state, showed that car owners now prefer to go to Gaya and Tungan Gyado border towns in Niger to buy fuel for their use and for profit-making.
Motorists and cyclists were seen travelling through illegal routes in order to avoid security check points, carrying jerry cans and assorted containers.
A commercial motorcycle operator, Aliyu Balarabe, told our correspondent that the pump price in Niger was not much different from what was obtained in Nigeria but the commodity’s availability attracted them to go there.
“The price is almost the same as a liter is sold at N140 in Gaya while we buy it here in Kamba at N155. So, you can see that the difference is not that much, but there could be profit at the end of it,” he said.
According to him, those involved in the trade always stand the risk of seizure of the commodity by Nigerien gendarmes.
He lamented that the shortage has caused a lot of inconveniences to especially commuters who have to pay double the transport fare before reaching their various destinations.
Aliyu appealed to the federal government to enact a law that would ban petroleum marketers from either hoarding fuel or illegally increasing the pump price of the commodity.
Similarly, a petrol station owner, Alhaji Abubakar Malami, explained that the situation would soon be over as some tankers laden with fuel had left Shagamu and Lagos enroute Kebbi state, attributing the shortage to a misunderstanding between them and the authorities.
