Reps Urge Security Agencies To Arrest Oil Marketers Responsible For Fuel Scarcity

The House of Representatives has urged the security agencies to fish out oil marketers responsible for the lingering fuel scarcity across the country.

The House on Wednesday also asked the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) as a sole importer to urgently ease off the fuel scarcity which has resulted in long queues in filling stations.

The lawmakers also invited relevant regulatory authorities to appear before the leadership of the House of Representatives on Thursday for interface on the lingering fuel scarcity.

The House also urged the relevant security agencies to fish out those oil marketers and other “economic saboteurs” that may be responsible for the fuel scarcity across the country.

It mandated the relevant House committees to investigate the matter within 48 hours and report to the House.

The resolutions of the House followed the adoption of an urgent motion of public importance by Rep Leke Abejide.

Abejide, while moving his motion, noted that the National Assembly had earlier approved the money for the subsidy on the petroleum products so as to mitigate unforeseen circumstances in the areas of shortages of the product.

He however expressed concerns that for over three months, there has been persistent scarcity of PMS in many parts of the country, adding that “the situation appears to be getting worse.”

He expressed concern that “the scarcity is associated with saboteurs among some of the key stakeholders who deliberately manipulated the system.”

Abejide lamented that due to the scarcity, Nigerians are exposed to all sorts of hardship which has led to a hike in fares and high cost of major food items.