There were long queues in many filling stations across Lagos State though the National Association of Road Transport Owners has called off its strike.
The queues, The PUNCH gathered, started building up in some parts of Lagos on Tuesday.
The queue was borne out of fear by Nigerians that premium motor spirit might become scarce as a result of the now-suspended NARTO strike.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, Nigerians stormed filling stations to engage in panic buying.
It was learnt that the refusal of the tanker drivers to lift fuel on Monday and Tuesday also had affected filling stations owned by independent marketers, many of whom had run out of supply.
In major areas in Lagos, the queues continued to build up, causing traffic gridlock on major roads.
Our correspondents observed that the filling stations along the Alausa axis of Lagos, including, Mobil, Total, Conoil and others had long queues.
Also, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited stations in Ogunnusi, Ojodu-Berger and Ikorodu Road had long queues, including Bovas.
Around the Isolo axis, the filling station at Apata Round-about was not selling fuel; it was the same scenario at the Total Filling station located close to Isolo General Hospital.
At Ishaga, an attendant at NPOG filling station told our correspondent that they had run out of fuel in the past three days.
The PUNCH also observed that the NNPC and Mobil filling stations at the College Bus stop were also out of fuel.
The Quest fuel station along Asuani Road was the only filling station that dispensed fuel on Wednesday, with a long queue of cars and customers struggling to buy at N640 per litre.
Along Gbagada Road, the NorthWest had a long queue of cars and was selling at N610 per litre, while Eternal at Gbagada Bustop was not selling at the time of filing this report.
When our correspondent visited a fuel station belonging to NNPCL in the Ikotun area of Lagos State, it was observed it was not selling fuel.
On Wednesday, a long queue was noticed at God’s Decision, along Governor Road, Ikotun.
“We learnt that there may be a fuel scarcity soon. They said tankers drivers are going on strike,” one of the customers at God’s Decision told The PUNCH.
In an interview with our correspondent, the Vice National President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers, Hammed Fashola, said the queue was caused by the two-day strike embarked upon by the tanker drivers.
“The fuel queues were caused by the two-day stoppage of operations by the tanker drivers. By Monday, everything will clear off. The NARTO members called off their strike yesterday (Tuesday) and they resumed loading of fuel today (Wednesday). All the depots are working now,” Fashola said in a phone interview.
Meanwhile, Lagosians have lamented over the fuel scarcity that struck many neighbourhoods in the state.
On X (formerly Twitter), @EricaNlewedim on Wednesday described the development as bad news that was becoming too much.
“The bad news is just too much. What is it? Ahah! And now fuel scarcity, I’m really tired of being an adult in this generation,” the user wrote.
@mhs4lyf, who lamented the situation in Lagos, said he had to trek.
He tweeted, “Fuel scarcity in Lagos and hold up. (I) trekked almost 10km to go home. Thank God for life.”
A user, @honeymiixx, called on President Bola Tinubu to call oil marketers to order, saying, “There’s fuel scarcity in Lagos again! Life is already unbearable for people. Please, talk to the oil marketers.”
@notsocialallen said just at the weekend, he was too lazy to go and buy fuel and “suddenly there’s fuel scarcity in Lagos”.
“There is fuel scarcity in Lagos and they are selling black market fuel for N1,200 and no light since the day before yesterday. Nah this place is hell,” @Thelengygirl posted.
@AAAlatishe wrote, “All the candidates literally said they were going to remove it. But then, you phase it out while having a better power supply everywhere. The subsidy has been removed, now, fuel scarcity everywhere with less or zero power supply. I believe most Nigerians will be okay at buying a litre at N1k, if they will only be using it in their vehicles. This brings me to this question, will we ever witness an uninterrupted 24/7 electricity in this country?”
“Fuel scarcity on top of all these problems is just crazy. Is it that they don’t think we have a breaking point?” @omosalewasmiles asked.
@Dxx_machina wrote, “No light, there is heat. Now, fuel scarcity and we can’t run gen. What the actual heck is wrong with this freaking country?”
“I’m lost, please what’s this fuel scarcity about? These guys are extremely wicked,” @Jaaayyyy__ posted on X.
@iamkvngdavid_ lamented he was in a long queue while “trying to buy fuel at N650 per litre, just this evening alone, I’m witnessing fuel scarcity”.
“Is it just me but I find some things very weird. There are no buses due to the fuel scarcity, then traffic,” @DarknSweetheart wrote.
“Fuel scarcity in Lagos. High pump price plus scarcity is hell. Which way Nigeria?” @MfonEssien lamented.
The fuel queues on Wednesday left commuters stranded, forcing car owners to turn to the black market to purchase fuel at inflated prices.
Bobagunwa stated, “Fuel scarcity is intensifying in Lagos. One litre is currently being sold for N1,000 on the black market. I always wonder what if Nigeria doesn’t have crude oil.”
Iniete expressed, “It’s my first time queuing for fuel all alone under the scorching heat in Lagos during this time of fuel scarcity. God, please seriously punish the people, past and present, who ruined this country.”
Babudere lamented, “There is fuel scarcity in Lagos, and black market fuel is being sold for N1,200. Also, there has been no electricity since the day before yesterday. This place feels like hell.”
Oyíndàmọ́lá conveyed, “Dear @NGRPresidentn @officialABAT, there’s fuel scarcity in Lagos again! Life is already unbearable for people; please talk to the oil marketers.”
Ade shared, “I saw the crowd at bus stations this morning as well. I helped the ones I could, but I still got fuel today for 605. Yes, there’s scarcity currently, and the queues are long. But no one is selling for 1000 here in Lagos.”
The PUNCH recalls that the tanker drivers on Monday parked their trucks, refusing to lift fuel over the high cost of operations.
NARTO President, Yusuf Othman, in a letter to truck drivers, said NARTO had made several efforts to secure negotiations for appropriate and commensurate freight rates for its operations from all authorities concerned in the industry, especially the major marketers, without any positive result.
However, the major marketers said the decision of NARTO to stop transporting fuel may not have much effect on them, some of whom have separate transporters.