The hike in fuel price has compounded the woes of Ogun State border residents who have been suffering from the ban on fuel supply to communities within a 20km radius of the borders which has lingered for about four years, Daily Trust reports.

Filling stations are empty, shut and, in many cases, overtaken by weeds. At intervals of about 100 meters, there is at least a black market stand selling petroleum products to residents in the absence of services of the regular fuel stations which have remained grounded for nearly four years.

That’s the situation in the border communities of Ogun State, South West Nigeria.

In August 2019, Nigeria closed its land borders with neighbouring Benin, Cameroon, Chad and Niger, preventing movement of goods. In November same year, the federal government, through the Nigeria Customs Service, directed that petroleum products should not be supplied to fuel stations within 20km of the borders.

The government said the move was in strict obedience to the government’s desire to safeguard the economy of the nation. It was alleged that filling stations at the border areas were used to smuggle petroleum products outside the country.

In Ogun State, Daily Trust’s findings revealed that no fewer than 161 filling stations fall within restricted border communities.

Our correspondent reports that the affected stations cut across Ipokia, Yewa South and Imeko – Afon local government areas of the state. While the border closure lasted, the fuel sale restriction compounded the woes of the residents who groaned under harsh fuel scarcity.

However, following the outcry at the border areas over the fuel restrictions, the government gave a waiver to a handful of filling stations so as to ameliorate the sufferings of the residents.

Findings, however, showed that the number of fueling stations that were granted waivers was insignificant considering the population in the areas.

As such, many of the residents in the border areas rely heavily on the ‘black market’ which sells at exorbitant rates for their fuel purchases.

`Black market’ business thrives

Our correspondent, who was at the border communities, observed that black market business has been thriving following the restriction on fuel supply. It was observed that most filling stations which hitherto were beehives of activities have been deserted.

It was observed that at least a black market stand is found at an interval of 100 meters. Some of the black marketers run their stands in front of some fueling stations since they are under lock and key.

An Islamic cleric based at Idiroko, Imam Omo–Akin, confirmed the high cost of petrol at the border communities.

Omo-Akin lamented that the border closure had “adversely affected the economic activities of the people”.

He said many residents of the areas have been indulging in the black market sale of fuel as an alternative business.

“As I am talking to you now, God forbid, if there is any incident of fire at Idiroko, everywhere will be consumed. Almost everyone is selling fuel now at Idiroko.

“Almost everyone has added fuel sales into what they do. Those who sell bread, and hairdressers have added sales of fuel into their businesses. I mean the black market business.

“Almost 90 per cent of those residing at Idiroko sell fuel. It involves a lot of risks,” he lamented.

Subsidy removal compounds woes

Findings by our correspondent revealed that the current fuel price hike following the removal of the fuel subsidy has compounded the woes of the border communities which have been battling the fuel crisis.

Our correspondent reports that border towns are worst hit by the adjustment of the petrol pump price by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to N617 per litre. While a litre of fuel is sold at N500 to N600 in Abeokuta and other metropolises, border towns’ residents buy the product at between N800 and N1,000.

Locals in Idiroko, Ijofin, Agosasa, Ipokia and Iwoye Ketu, all in Ipokia and Imeko Afon local government areas, told our correspondent that a litre of petrol is sold at N800 to N1000.

“A litre costs N1,000. I bought some fuel for my motorcycle this morning (Sunday),” Ahmed Ismaila, the CDA Chairman, Iwoye Ketu, a border town in Imeko-Afon Local Government Area of the state, told Daily Trust.

He said many residents have now abandoned their vehicles and resorted to motorcycles to cut down costs.

He added that the cost of local transportation has increased by about 300 per cent in the area.

Abdulganiyu Alabi, who resides in Ijofin, said, “The least you can get is N900 per litre.”

He lamented that a handful of filling stations that were granted waivers at the border areas usually sold to their cronies.

While also lamenting the cost of transportation due to fuel price hike, Alabi said motorcyclists charge commuters N3,500 from Ijofin to Idiroko which, according to him, was a less than seven kilometers journey.

Demand for lifting of fuel ban heightens

Amid the biting price hike and scarcity, residents of the border areas cried out to President Bola Tinubu to lift the ban on fuel supply to border communities.

Recently, the people of Yewa living within border communities in Idiroko, Imeko-Afon, Oja- Odan and other areas in the state appealed to Tinubu to lift the suspension on the supply of petroleum products within a 20km radius to the country’s border with Benin Republic.

In a statement made available to newsmen, the National President of Yewa Defender Movement, Temi Amusan, said the ban was causing hardship for the people.

“The suspension order by the federal government since 2019 has negatively impacted the socio-economic activities with attendant hardships to lives and livelihoods of people living in the border towns and communities like Idiroko axis. Only four licensed independent petroleum marketers are allowed to dispense the commodity to hundreds of thousands of people living in the area.”

Yewa Defenders Movement said with the removal of fuel subsidy, the subsisting restriction order on the supply of the product to the affected border communities “is no longer justified”.

Adeyemi Sulaimon Olusegun, the General Secretary, Ipokia Local Government Youth Forum (IPYF) expressed worry that several calls on Buhari’s government to lift the ban fell on deaf ears.

“We sincerely do know that you’re a crackerjack economically-oriented leader who understands how all of these work. Ipokia Local Government Youth Forum and the good people of Ipokia Local Government solemnly plead with you to use your good offices to lift this suspension since subsidy, which had been a cankerworm that had eaten deeply into our economy as a country, has been relinquished.

“We think it’s no longer important that this policy should continue. It’s no longer news that the subsidy removal is leaving a tough time for Nigerians at the moment but our case is different because we’re experiencing twice the effect of the subsidy removal due to the 20km PMS supply suspension imposed on us,” he said.

Ismaila expressed worry that with the continuous ban, border residents are being treated as second fiddle in their own country.

“First, the government must restore fuel supply to border towns. We are Nigerians, but we are being deprived of our rights because we live in border towns.

“Even when petrol was selling for about N190, we bought at N300 here. I urge the government to lift the ban which has been in place since 2019.

“Secondly, the government needs to put in palliative measures to cushion the effects. Salary increase and other measures will go a long way in reducing the suffering,” Ismaila told Daily Trust.

Recently, the House of Representatives urged the federal government to lift the ban on the sale of petrol in communities within 20 kilometers of international land borders in the country.

This resolution followed the adoption of a motion moved by Adegboyega Nasir Isiaka, a member representing Imeko-Afon/Yewa North Federal constituency.

Isiaka noted that despite the removal of subsidy on petroleum products by the government, the ban was yet to be lifted, “thus causing hardships to millions of Nigerians living and conducting businesses within the affected areas (located in 15 states of the federation) who have to travel many kilometers to get the products or pay an extra amount to secure the products for their daily needs.” (Daily Trust)

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