On Tuesday, the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) surged to N2500 per litre in Akwa Ibom State, leaving consumers struggling to find fuel. This crisis has been exacerbated by the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), which has engaged in panic sales amid an ongoing conflict between the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Joint Task Force (JTF).
Transportation in the state has been severely impacted, with a notable decrease in the number of vehicles on the road. Transport fares have skyrocketed by over 200% as NUPENG has prevented tankers from entering Akwa Ibom for several days.
Many independent filling stations in Uyo and surrounding areas have shut down in response to a “Notice of Withdrawal of Services Over Confiscation of PMS-Loaded Trucks by JTF Personnel,” signed by IPMAN’s Coordinating Committee Chairman, Francis Udoyen, and Secretary, Prince Ekom Idemudo.
The notice emphasizes the necessity of solidarity with NUPENG, demanding the release of PMS-loaded trucks that were seized by the JTF four months ago. The directive reads, “You are hereby directed to close your filling stations from the public effective Tuesday, September 24, 2024. This action has the approval of our national office, and non-compliance will have appropriate consequences.”
Sam Osung, State Chairman of the Natural Oil and Gas Association of Nigeria (NOGASA) and former aide to Governor Umo Eno, criticized the state government for not taking action against perceived excesses of NUPENG and IPMAN. He argued that if the stakeholders felt wronged by the JTF’s actions, they should pursue legal recourse rather than disrupt fuel supplies to consumers.
Osung detailed how ODS personnel, under the 2 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, had seized two PMS trucks and 44 drums of fuel from six filling stations in Ibaka, Mbo Local Government Area over four months ago, alleging involvement in fuel smuggling.
IPMAN representatives held a press conference demanding the immediate release of the seized trucks, leading to the shutdown of their filling stations and protests in Oron LGA. Osung noted that the ODS had suggested that the truck owners seek legal action if they believed they were innocent.
“The marketers are trying to pressure the Army into releasing their trucks without proving their innocence,” he said, adding that they had enlisted the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTDs) to halt fuel deliveries into Akwa Ibom since last Monday.
Osung emphasized the need for government intervention, stating, “The government should address the excesses of these groups. They have illegally stopped tankers from entering Akwa Ibom for about a week, leading to panic sales and rising prices.”
He criticized the government for previously making him a scapegoat in a similar situation, asserting that the underlying issues remain unaddressed, further complicating the current crisis.
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