A Kwara State government Task Force, on Monday, raided some filling stations in Ilorin, the state capital, cautioning them against hoarding of fuel.
The government said the raid was part of measures to address fuel scarcity in the state.
“This is a committee set up by His Excellency AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to see to the problem of fuel shortage. As a responsible and responsive government, we cannot be folding our hands watching. We have to see that the majority of our people enjoy the dividends of democracy,” the leader of the task force who doubles as the governor’s chief of staff, Alh. Mahe Abdulkadir, told journalists during during the exercise.
“We observed that the major marketers are doing their best so far because we checked their pits,” he added.
Abdulkadir called on the people of the state to be patient and avoid panic buying, adding that: “We want to call on the people of the state to be patient and avoid panic buying. The federal government is not trying to increase the prices of fuel. We will make sure our people are not shortchanged.”
Filling stations inspected included thos of Total Energies, Rainoil filling station, NNPC in Garin Alimi; Total Energies Surulere, NNPC Surulere, and MRS filling station, Oja-Oba, all in the state capital.
He called on the managers of fuel stations dispensing fuel across the state to properly organise their customers to ensure orderliness.
At Rainoil filling station, Asa Dam, NNPC, Gerin Alimi, and NNPC Surulere, the team confirmed that there was enough fuel in their pits and encouraged them to continue to sell in an orderly manner.
Some of the managers, however, promised to avoid hoarding in the interest of the state.
In their reactions, some of the motorists on fuel queues appealed to the government to continue to monitor sales of fuel to check hoarding and reduce hardship occasioned by fuel scarcity in the state.