The Department of Petroleum Resources’ joint task force has begun clamping down on filling stations in Ondo, accusing them of hoarding fuel. 

On Tuesday afternoon, officials of the DPR were seen sealing off the stations for refusing to dispense fuel to consumers, despite its availability in their reserve. 

No less than five fuel stations believed to be hoarding the fuel were sealed by the task force during the raid on the stations. 

Peoples Gazette observed a few stations selling fuel Tuesday morning while others shut their gates. Kunle Adewale, chairman of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) in Ondo, told The Gazette that the long queues and scarcity were due to the non-availability of petrol at the depot.

Motorists told The Gazette they rushed to the stations to fill their tanks when Mr Tinubu announced that the fuel subsidy had “gone,” claiming the new president’s announcement created panic buying and accused filling stations of hoarding fuel.

Many filling stations sell petrol between N250 and N300 per litre in Ondo, according to The Gazette’s survey Tuesday morning.

In Ikare Akoko, it was gathered that the only station open to customers sold petrol at N250 per litre.

In Akure, Northwest Petrol Station, located in the Sebi area, sold fuel at N195 per litre as long queues formed on the road.

The situation was not different at an annexe of the NNPC station in the Shagari area, as the entrance to the filling station witnessed a surge of commercial vehicles, especially motorcycles.