Connect with us

News

Maiduguri residents shy away from retail centers for petrol

Published

on

Maiduguri residents shy away from retail centers for petrol

By: Bodunrin Kayode

Commuters in Maiduguri the Borno State capital have virtually abandoned filling stations as the cost of petrol hit N575 even at nnpc retail shops.

For the first time in the history of sales of premium motor spirit (PMS) also known as petrol, dealers and station managers of the product are stuck with old stuck with customers shying away from them.

And this is because regardless of the new prices due to the removal of the subsidy, most residents are sticking to their old budgets by buying only what will not cripple them financially or eat up the money for house keeping.

A drive round the metropolis indicated that the long queues have disappeared while very few cars were seen at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (nnpc) retail station Ngomari Airport area and even Gumalti filling station which used to have a fairly low price compared to its competitors in Bulunkutu or pompomari bypass.

For commercial tricycles which are used to buying the product for as high as N650 per litre, they have rather resolved to abandon their regular visits to the black market for retail filing stations like Matrix and total Bama road where it’s over N100 naira cheaper without long queues as was the case before the lifting of subsidies by President Bola Tinubu.

As a result, the booming black market of jerricans in the metropolis is beginning to collapse in areas with enough retail centres except for extremely rural outskirts of Jere, konduga, Mafa and beyond that black market is a must because the retail centres are non existent.

Many residents including civil servants affected by the hike of the product have resolved to either trek to work or wait for the Borno express buses which charges only N50 naira per bus stop because it is highly subsidized by the government.

Some of those who have cars and spoke to this reporter on their ordeal, drive cars alternatively to work or just abandon same at home and use only when necessary with a top up of 5 or 10 litres instead of full tank.

Federal workers along Bama road patronize mostly Oando, total and Hadiza where the long queues have disappeared with sometimes only three cars in sight.

” Cars usage now have become only necessary to drop my kids in school and pick them up later in the day” said pharmacist kachalla who runs a retail pharmacy shop in the city’s open theatre area.

As for the residents generally especially market sellers, the new price of the commercial tricycles also known as napep are cut throat “We have no choice but to transfer the price to our products.

“But because of the insurgency which is still biting our land, we cannot increase up to 50 percent for now. We are transferring the costs to our goods with a human face so that we will survive.

” This is because I sell perishable products like tomatoes, onions and potatoes. Too much increase may harm and scare our people away especially resident idps and we don’t want to have to throw the products away” said Mallam Usman in Baga road market.

A top government house official who wanted anonymity said he was going through harsh times paying the transportation for his three daughters schooling at University of Maiduguri: “You can’t believe it, I give my daughters N1000 each from this 1000 housing estate here to University of Maiduguri where they are studying on a daily basis. Calculate that in a month”.

With the calling off of the strike by the organized labor, most professional bodies are waiting patiently to see how the promised palliatives would be channeled.

“Either through the executive of the unions or through the salaries of each individual worker using an organized channel if the beneficiary is a non governmental person.” said the top government official.

Maiduguri residents shy away from retail centers for petrol

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News

Crisis brews in Gombe SDP as Yakubu emerges acting chairman

Published

on

Crisis brews in Gombe SDP as Yakubu emerges acting chairman

The Gombe State chapter of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has appointed a new chairman, Aaron Yakubu to serve in acting capacity following the suspension of its state chairman, Comrade Adamu Abubakar Modibbo, over allegations of mismanagement, lack of transparency, and misuse of party resources.

His suspension was announced at a news conference held in Gombe on Saturday by the party’s Welfare Secretary, Usman Yahaya, on behalf of concerned members of the state executive.

Reading the statement, Yahaya said there were countless complaints against the now suspended chairman, whom he said had side-lined party stakeholders and running the party like his personal property.

“Since Comrade Modibbo assumed office, the party has experienced no meaningful progress. Instead, the leadership claims he has used his position to witch-hunt loyal stakeholders and frustrated committed party members for his personal gain.”

He accused Modibbo of systematically “caging” the party’s executive members and aspirants, depriving over 90% of both returning and newly acting executive members of access to official SDP membership cards.

He further alleged that the selection of party candidates has been done without due process or consultation, with names being announced solely via national platforms involving prominent figures like Malam Nasir El-Rufai, thereby side-lining the state executive.
Yahaya also accused the suspended chairman of allegedly using his personal residence as the de facto party office.

This, the executives say, violates proper procedures and comes despite funds being made available to renovate the official state party office and rent offices across the local government areas.

“As it stands, the SDP in Gombe State does not have a functional or recognised operational office,”

In the light of the above weighty and numerous allegations against Modibbo, the Welfare Secretary said that the Gombe State chapter of the party has taken decisive action by suspending Comrade Adamu Abubakar Modibbo as chairman with immediate effect.

“In this regard, we hereby announce that the current State Secretary of the party, Mr. Aaron Yakubu, will now serve as the Acting State Chairman of the SDP in Gombe.

“Similarly, Ambassador Lukman Adamu Elkanem, previously serving as the Acting Assistant Public Relations Officer, has now been appointed as the Acting State Secretary of the party.”

Yahaya, on behalf of the state chapter of the SDP, appealed for intervention from the national body of the party to look into the allegations against the former chairman and to restore discipline, accountability, and credible leadership to the Gombe chapter of the party.

Speaking shortly in an interview, Yakubu said he would work to build inclusiveness in the party and ensure all party members were carried along in line with the constitution of the party.

He stated that out of the 13 working committee members of the party, nine were present and in support of the suspension of Modibbo.

Continue Reading

News

Kidnap victim rescued with machete wounds in Suleja

Published

on

Kidnap victim rescued with machete wounds in Suleja

By: Zagazola Makama

A 45-year-old man, identified as Samuel John, has been rescued by a joint team of police and vigilantes after being abducted and severely injured by suspected kidnappers in the Polosa area of Suleja, Niger State.

Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the incident occurred in the early hours of Friday, June 27, when hoodlums reportedly stormed the community and whisked the victim away from his residence.

According to the sources, a vigilante member, raised the alarm, prompting an immediate response from security operatives attached to the ‘B’ Division Suleja and members of the local vigilante group.

The combined team pursued the kidnappers into the surrounding bush. On sighting the advancing security team, the assailants attacked the victim with machetes, inflicting deep cuts on his head and both hands before abandoning him and fleeing the scene.

The victim was quickly rescued and rushed to the General Hospital Suleja, where he is currently receiving medical attention.

Kidnap victim rescued with machete wounds in Suleja

Continue Reading

News

Abducted Sharia Court judge escapes from kidnappers in Zamfara

Published

on

Abducted Sharia Court judge escapes from kidnappers in Zamfara

By: Zagazola Makama

Alkali Usman, a Sharia Court judge attached to the Higher Sharia Court in Birnin Tudu, Gummi Local Government Area of Zamfara State, has escaped from captivity after being abducted by unknown gunmen.

Zagazola Makama learnt from reliable sources that Usman, who was reported kidnapped on June 26, returned home safely on Friday morning, June 27, at about 10:00 a.m., according to local sources.

Upon his return, the judge was immediately taken to a nearby hospital, where he received medical attention and was subsequently discharged.

He was later debriefed by security operatives and reunited with his family.

Authorities have not disclosed the circumstances surrounding his escape.

Abducted Sharia Court judge escapes from kidnappers in Zamfara

Continue Reading

Trending

Verified by MonsterInsights