The ongoing fuel scarcity in Jos and environs has forced many commercial and private motorists off the road. The very busy highway that leads into the city from Dadin Kowa and Nasco Group of Companies at Old Airport Road, which is always busy was entirely deserted on Thursday morning, allowing free flow of traffic. Very long queues were visible at most filling stations where petrol was being sold. The scarcity led to some filling stations going as far as adjusting their pumping meters to the new illegal prices of between N150 and N160.

More pertinent is the fear among consumers that the petrol currently being sold, especially at “black markets” may be adulterated. Black marketers, who sell in Jerry-cans, are reportedly doing brisk business as many car owners feel they have no choice but to patronise them.
A commercial motorist, Peter Dalong, who plies Bukuru Terminus route, said he got his fuel Wednesday from a road side seller (black market) at N200 per litre. “I cannot queue for close to 12 hours to buy fuel. All I do is to get the available one, no matter the cost, just to keep life going. I have no other business but transportation,” Mr. Dalong said.

The ongoing fuel scarcity in Jos and environs has forced many commercial and private motorists off the road. The very busy highway that leads into the city from Dadin Kowa to Nasco which is always busy was entirely deserted on Thursday morning, allowing free flow of traffic. Very long queues were visible at most filling stations where petrol was being sold. The scarcity led to some filling stations going as far as adjusting their pumping meters to the new illegal prices of between N150 and N160.

More pertinent is the fear among consumers that the petrol currently being sold, especially at “black markets” may be adulterated. Black marketers, who sell in Jerry-cans, are reportedly doing brisk business as many car owners feel they have no choice but to patronise them.
A commercial motorist, Peter Dalong, who plies Bukuru Terminus route, said he got his fuel Wednesday from a road side seller (black market) at N200 per litre. “I cannot queue for close to 12 hours to buy fuel. All I do is to get the available one, no matter the cost, just to keep life going. I have no other business but transportation,” Mr. Dalong said.

Another motorist, Azi Adamu, who said he was a civil servant told journalist of the premuim times that he could not afford to buy fuel at N150 Naira from the “black marketers” and had therefore parked his car. “I decided to park my car due to lack of fuel. As a low income earner, how can I buy fuel at N150 per liter; it has no economic value to me. So, I let the car be at the moment. When the fuel distribution normalises, I shall return it to the road.”

Several motorists at a queue at the major NNPC Mega-filling station along Shahrazad Dogon-karfe-Custom House Road said they had been there since 4a.m. A private car owner, Yusuf, who got fuel at about 11:30 a.m. claimed he had been queuing since 3:00 a.m. Thursday morning. “I have been on this queue since 3:00 am today. I just got the fuel. Even though it took me a long time, I’m happy I got it at government approved price of N97 per liter.”

However, transport fare within Jos still remained as they were but with fewer commercial motorists plying the routes. On a visit to the NNPC depot in Jos on Thursday noted that more than 15 tankers were awaiting approval to transport fuel to various destinations within the state. However, officials of the NNPC refused to speak on record on why the tankers were being delayed at the depot.

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As fuel scarcity persist within Jos city, black marketers now sell a litre of petrol for N150