Fuel Scarcity: Black Marketers Defy El-Rufai’s Ban, Return To Streets

Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna state

Fuel vendors also known as black marketers have defiled the Kaduna State ban on sale of Premium Motor Spirit popularly called petrol in jerry-cans and other containers.

The Kaduna State government had after its security council meeting banned the sale of the scarce commodity in jerry cans.

Our Correspondent observed that the black marketers have continued  sale of fuel in jerry-cans along major streets of Kaduna State.

A tour of some parts of Kaduna metropolis shows that areas like the Warf road, Tudun Wada, Hayin Banki, Kawo, Kigo road, Mando, Station round about, Barnawa, Television and Sabo have heavy presence of petrol black marketers.

Speaking with one of the black marketers who gave his name as Awalu at Waff road in Kaduna metropolis said, ‘’We are suffering at home, I don’t even have money to start another business so we just came back on our own.’’

‘’We the black marketers are not the primary cause of fuel scarcity, it is the government but the government wants to punish us for their failures, this is not fair, even some vehicle owners are happy that we are coming back,’’ he added.

Earlier in the month, the Kaduna State Government in a statement signed by the Special Assistant to Governor Nasir el-Rufai on Media and Publicity, Mr. Samuel Aruwan, said the decision was taken at state security council meeting presided by the governor.

The statement noted that security agencies had been directed to arrest and prosecute anyone found violating the ban as well as outright confiscation of any petroleum products found in their possession.

It stated that, “Noting the difficulties imposed by the current petrol scarcity, the council appealed to citizens to remain patient and assured the public that the state government is working with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and other agencies to reduce the hardship associated with the shortage of petroleum products.

Leadership