Commercial tricycle operators in Warri and Effurun metropolis of Delta State, alongside aggrieved women and youths took to the streets on Wednesday in a peaceful protest over the persistent scarcity of fuel amidst the hike in price.
The market women and the cyclists, in their hundreds, marched through the major roads, calling on President Bola Tinubu to urgently intervene and reverse the fuel price hike.
The protesters carried placards and chanted slogans expressing their frustration and anger over the government’s decision to increase fuel price to almost N1100/litre, which they say has worsened their economic struggles.
Some of the placards had inscriptions such as ‘Tinubu, intervene now to alleviate commuters sufferings’, ‘Tinubu, activate Warri, Kaduna refineries without further delay’, and ‘We are suffering in silence, the fuel price hike is a killer.’
One of our correspondents observed that most of the filling stations along the Warri-Sapele road were shut to motorists on Wednesday morning while the few that were open for business sold petrol at above N1,000.
Consequently, the development had adverse effects on commuters within the metropolis as well as inter-state travellers as motorists adjusted their transport fares upwards.
Workers ride bicycles
Following the increase in pump price on Tuesday, more residents and workers, including civil servants in Borno State, have embraced trekking, tricycles and bicycles for mobility.
During the early hours of Wednesday in Maiduguri, the state capital, there were less vehicles and more pedestrians on major roads.
Some residents of Nasarawa State lamented the hike after it forced many of them to resort to trekking as they could not afford the luxury of boarding tricycles and buses.
The product, which used to be sold between N930 and N950/litre in most stations in Lafia and its environs, is now sold between N990 and N1,000/litre.
Our correspondent in Lafia observed on Wednesday that many workers and businessmen trekked short distances to their workplaces to avoid spending outside their budgets.
Tricycles, motorcycles and vehicles operators in the state capital had jacked up their prices for both short and long distances due to the rising cost of fuel.
Tricycle riders in Lafia had fixed N250 for a drop per passenger but with the increase in price, the transporters jacked up their prices to between N350 and N400.
In Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, residents stayed indoors following the increase in fuel price.
There was a dearth of vehicles on the streets of Ilorin as a result of the increase in the price of PMS.
Many vehicle owners, who were caught unaware, angrily abandoned their cars at home or parked by the roadside to make use of commercial motorcycles and tricycles to their respective destinations.
A litre of petrol was sold at N870/litre at NNPC stations while independent marketers sold at between N950 and N1,200/litre.
However, commercial vehicle operators in Ilorin complained of low turnout by passengers.
Similarly, one of the leaders of IPMAN in the state, Alhaji Kunle Sanni, tasked the Presidency to halt what he described as “their flamboyant lifestyles” while masses were being pushed deeper into poverty.
The septuagenarian told The PUNCH that it was regrettable that the Presidency was travelling around the globe in needless multi-billion Naira private jets while its citizens lived in penury.
He said, “There has to be a social service that any government must provide for her people but the present government hasn’t done anything in this regard. Instead all of them, the Presidency and National Assembly members, are living flamboyant lifestyles while the masses are suffering more and more.
“The former price of N580/litre was on a very high side, we complained bitterly against it and expected that Dangote product would give us a relief but here we are with another increase and all manner of sabotage stories about Dangote refinery. What kind of a government is this?” “I haven’t sold PMS for over three months now because of the increase because I can’t stand people’s curses on me for what I don’t know anything about.”
The hikealso left hundreds of commuters stranded in Kaduna, with many filing stations closing shop or selling at exorbitant prices.
On Wednesday, residents were forced to trek long distances or opt for expensive alternative transportation.
Journalist Amos Mathew parked his car due to the hike, spending N400 on a tricycle ride instead of the usual N100.
Madukwe B. Nwabuisi is an accomplished journalist renown for his fearless reporting style and extensive expertise in the field. He is an investigative journalist, who has established himself as a kamikaze reporter.
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