There was significant traffic gridlock in certain areas of Lagos on Monday as motorists formed lengthy queues outside filling stations, indicating a potential scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), better known as fuel or petrol.
It was learnt there was an unusually heavy gridlock along Ikorodu Road, where motorists endured long queues while waiting to purchase the product.
According to the PUNCH, the Total filling station at the Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way experienced queues, leading to heavy traffic congestion around the Ikeja axis.
It was observed also that several filling stations along the Ikeja axis, specifically along Obafemi Awolowo Road in Ikeja, were closed.
The development is said to have prompted some motorists to start increasing their fares in response to the situation.
One commercial transport operator who operates along the Unilag-Jibowu axis in Yaba addressed newsmen, saying that he had no choice but to raise his fees after waiting for hours to buy fuel.
He stated, “Do you know how long it took me to buy fuel today? Anybody who doesn’t want to enter should stay out.”
In addition, it was observed that all the petrol stations along Ogunnusi Road inbound Berger were not providing petrol to customers.
While the cause of the re-emergence of fuel queues in Lagos is currently unknown, journalists gathered that the queues were particularly noticeable in major petrol stations that were believed to be selling the commodity at lower prices.
It was discovered that several petrol stations owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway were also not dispensing fuel.
The National Vice Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Hammed Fashola, acknowledged the presence of queues in some petrol stations in Lagos when contacted.
However, Fashola suggested that the queues might be a result of customers engaging in panic-buying.
“I am currently not in Lagos, but I have also heard about the queues. It could simply be panic buying. I am uncertain if there is a fuel shortage. People are just panicking. Nevertheless, I will investigate the issue,” Fashola told journalists.
