Depots Stop Loading Over Fear of Attacks As Fuel Scarcity Looms

 

The umbrella body of petrol marketers, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), the umbrella body of petrol marketers,  yesterday stated that some of their members could not embark on their usual transit even after they were allowed to load because of fear of being attack by hoodlums.

According to members of the organisation, some depot owners in the country have stopped loading petroleum products over fear of being attacked by some restive youths, sparking fears that a nationwide scarcity of the product might be in the offing.

The National Vice President of IPMAN, Alhaji Abubakar Maigandi, stated that the protests currently rocking the country and the ensuing crises have stopped the marketers from moving their loaded trucks.

He stated that since petroleum products are highly inflammable, the drivers decided to park their trucks in safe places nationwide, explaining that since consumers buy fuel on a daily basis and there is no replacement, and this may lead to scarcity of the products.

Maigandi added that since marketers do not hoard products, there will be no reserves to turn to upon the exhaustion of available stock, maintaining that because some of the depots are not loading due to insecurity, there will ‘definitely’ be a negative impact on supply.

He said: “The ones that have already loaded have parked their trucks in the yards so that protesters will not set them on fire. There is no way you can have sufficient fuel in the filling stations because we don’t hoard it.”

The IPMAN national vice president urged the protesters to begin discussions with the federal government for the amicable resolution of the crises, asking them to embrace the peace because of the economic losses that are resulting from the crisis.