By Musa Ubandawaki, Sokoto
SOKOTO:- A wave of frustration and anger has swept across Sokoto metropolis and its environs as petrol marketers allegedly resorted to creating artificial scarcity of fuel, plunging motorists and commuters into untold hardship.
For several days, most filling stations within the state capital and neighbouring communities have remained under lock and key, while the few dispensing fuel sell at exorbitant prices far above the official pump price.
The development has paralysed transportation, inflated fares, and disrupted daily business activities across the state.
As early as 7 a.m., long queues are seen stretching several meters at the few stations selling fuel, with motorists and commercial tricycle operators spending hours, sometimes the whole day, struggling to buy the product.
“I got here around 7 a.m., but this is 11 a.m., and I’m still on the queue,” lamented a commercial driver, Sani Abubakar, at one of the stations along Gusau Road. “The fuel attendants only sell to those who are ready to pay extra or know someone inside. It’s frustrating.”
The artificial scarcity has also forced many commercial transporters off the roads, leading to a sharp increase in transport fares. Commuters now pay double or even triple the previous amounts for short distances within Sokoto metropolis.
“I used to pay ₦300 from Gwiwa to Sokoto Central Market, but now they’re asking for ₦600,” said Safiya Ibrahim, a petty trader. “We’re suffering. Government should intervene before things get worse.”
Investigation revealed that while many independent marketers claim they have run out of stock, others are allegedly hoarding the product in anticipation of a possible price hike as a result of the PENGASSAN/Dangote dispute.
The closure of filling stations has also given rise to black market sales, where a litre of petrol is sold for as high as ₦1,800.
Residents have expressed outrage over what many described as the deliberate exploitation of the masses by some unscrupulous marketers.
Civil society groups and concerned citizens have called on petroleum regulatory agencies to take urgent action to restore normalcy.
“The hardship is unnecessary and man-made,” said Comrade Abdullahi Aliyu, a member of a local advocacy group. “Authorities must act swiftly to sanction any marketer found guilty of hoarding or manipulating supply to cause artificial scarcity.”
As the fuel crisis deepens, economic activities in Sokoto continue to grind slowly, with traders, transporters, and residents counting their losses.
The silence from the authorities has further heightened public anxiety, leaving many to wonder how long the suffering will last.
Unless urgent steps are taken to address the artificial scarcity and bring erring marketers to book, the situation may worsen, deepening the already difficult economic reality faced by millions in the state.
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