CITIZENS COMPASS—The Chairman, Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Akure South Local Government, Ondo State, Oluwatuyi Olasoji Gabriel, has reportedly died while queueing to buy petrol in the State.
The incident occurred as the Chairman waited in a long queue to buy fuel amid the ongoing fuel scarcity crisis and hardship in Nigeria.
Reports from Sunshine Truth, a local tabloid in the State said the NULGE leader slumped last week at a fuel station.
Citizens Compass reports that Nigerians including motorists have been lamenting scarcity of petrol across the country.
On Tuesday in Lagos State, many commuters were stranded at various bus-stops as there were few commercial buses on the road..
A cross section of commuters lamented increase in fares at various bus-stops.
Some of them were seen begging private car owners for a ride.
Similarly, our Correspondent noticed long queues at some gas station with few attendants dispensing the product.
Our Correspondent also noticed black marketers at various locations selling the product at N1,200 and above.
A private car owner said he had to rush home, pick his car and bought N50,000 worth of fuel to transport himself to office having waited at his nearest for hours to board a commercial vehicle. He said, “I stood at my bus-stop for hours waiting for buses but when I could not get any, I angrily rushed back home, picked my car and headed for a nearby gas station to fuel my car with N50,000.
“On Saturday, I filled my car with N25,000 worth of petrol on my way to Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.
“Though the price was astronomical but I sacrificed the money because patients are waiting for me at the hospital.”
In response to the scarcity, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) reassured the public that the situation is expected to improve soon. According to NNPCL, the market has been deregulated, and petrol prices are now influenced by market forces and the exchange rate, rather than government control. However, many Nigerians are still struggling with the immediate impact of the fuel crisis.
The unfortunate fate that met the Akure NULGE chairman will be reckoned as another number in the challenging circumstances facing Nigerians in the face of the recent hardship in the land.
