The artificial fuel scarcity caused by a rift between men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps and tanker drivers in Akwa Ibom State has skyrocketed fuel price to N200 per liter in few filling stations still selling.
Meanwhile, most of the filling stations in Uyo and other parts of the state have shut down operations due to tanker driver’s insistence on strike.
Investigations revealed that tanker drivers in the state are on strike because a tanker conveying premium motor spirit, popularly known as petrol was impounded by NSCDC operatives on the suspicion that it was carrying adulterated product.
The incident, which occurred two weeks ago in Itu local government area of Akwa Ibom state, led to the spillage of the product, while it was being diverted to the camp of the corp, which triggered off flames and some persons were roasted by the fire, while many houses were also set ablaze.
Rattled tanker drivers association in the state stopped tankers from delivering petroleum products loaded from Calabar and Port Harcourt in the state.
Bassey Nkanga, controller, Department of Petroleum Resources in Akwa Ibom state blamed the NSCDC operatives for the artificial scarcity currently witnessed in the state and promised to wade into the matter.
?His words “I want to assure the public that there is no scarcity of products, what we are witnessing is as a result of the misunderstanding between the petroleum tanker drivers’ union and the civil defence”.
Nkanga further explained that he have gotten in touched with the IPMAN coordinating chairman in the state the tanker drivers’ union and the head of the civil defence in the state.”
Our correspondent who visited the Civil defense headquarters in Uyo for enquiries into the matter, a front-desk officer who took visitor’s form to the office ?of the state Commandant and the PRO returned 20 minutes later to report that both were not on seat.
When contacted on phone, the state PRO of the Corps dropped the call on our correspondent as soon as purpose of call was revealed.
