Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria has accused the Maiduguri Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited Depot of hoarding petrol meant for its members thereby escalating the fuel scarcity in the state.
Reacting to the continued scarcity and closure of filling stations across the state capital despite alleged availability of the petrol products, some independent marketers told The reporters that the Maiduguri Depot created the artificial scarcity by refusing to sell products to marketers rather, they hoard them to retailers at exorbitant prices who in turn sell to consumers at higher prices.
An independent marketer, Abubakar Fannami,disclosed that, “The products are Available, they have trucks loaded with fuel but the NNPC Depot refused to clear the trucks and instead sell the products to retailers.
They say that IPMAN members must pay a bridging fee of N26 despite agreeing to buy the products at N187.
Similarly, the Borno State Chairman of IPMAN, Mohammed Kuluwu, revealed that a majority of independent marketers in Maiduguri have been unable to restock since their products finished for over two weeks now.
He lamented that the scarcity of petrol being experienced in Maiduguri is a result of NNPC refusing to clear trucks at the depot.
He also said “In the past two weeks, only five trucks have been cleared by the depot.
He added that they want IMPMAN to sell petrol at N165 but did not get it even at N180 from them, so how can they sell petrol at N165 when they bought it from them at N185/N186 and we still pay for bridging.