Motorists in Katsina State, said they have decided to hand over their plights because of the rising cost of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to Allah (SWA) to solve.
The state public relations officer (PRO) of the Nigeria Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Muhammadu Sa’ad, disclosed this on behalf of the union. Blaming the owners of filling stations for the recent hike in the price, he claimed that they closed down their stations while still having the product in stock. He called on them to fear Allah and always do the needful instead of hiking prices to make profit.
The union also urged the state task force team to make efforts to deal decisively with offenders to serve as a deterrent, adding that doing this would go far in addressing the multiple challenges facing the country and the state in particular.
LEADERSHIP Friday gathered that price of PMS in Katsina and other northern states is now sold between N950 to N1,000 per litre while black marketers are selling the product at the cost of N1,500 and above, even as long queues persists in the state.
But the leadership of the NARTO, said they considered the plights of the people, and refused to increase its transport fares, advocating that people should return to Allah (SWA) through prayers to salvage the country from the lingering challenge.
He maintained that all Muslims are aware of the present challenge, “as we read in the Holy Quran, we’ve surrendered all to Allah to take control and be prayerful.”
Recall that the state government taskforce committee on smuggling, hoarding of grains, control of prices of essential commodities and insurgency-related issues has recently clamped down on illegal fuel dealers in the state.
The chairman of the team, Jabiru Tsauri, assured Katsina people that the task force will continue to arrest and go after those hoarding foodstuff, including institutions suspected to be smuggling products into the state.