News
Fuel Scarcity: Groups Plan Protest
A group of civil society organizations and social media activists and commercial drivers in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, have said they are ready to embark on mass protest to demonstrate their displeasure over the lingering fuel scarcity in the state.
Specifically the civil society groups said they have collected signatures of Nigerians for ‘Occupy Nigeria’ protest in Port-Harcourt on Thursday, against the unending scarcity of petroleum products and current economic hardship in the country.
One of the facilitators of the proposed protest, Livingstone Wechie, said the action is due to hold on Thursday in Port-Harcourt.
He said the action seeks to draw the attention of the Federal Government on the need to take urgent steps to end the current economic hardship facing Nigerians due to the lingering fuel scarcity across the country, especially Rivers, Lagos states, and Abuja.
Wechie emphasised that the protest in Port-Harcourt also seeks to demand that the Federal Government end the era of blame game and evolve measures that will restore confidence in the citizens.
However, both private and public filling station owners have also called on the Rivers State Government, to extend the mandate of the task force to include the monitoring of the activities of depot owners, and not only filling stations.
In an interview with the dealer of Sky Mint Energy Limited filling station along Iwofe-Wimpey Junction, Mr Onyema Otata, said government should enforce the compliance of filling stations with the regulated pump price of petrol.
He said that this can only be possible if government ensures that private depot owners sell the product to filling stations at government-regulated pump price.
Otata further said that the inability of the task force to force compliance has made depot owners to consistently sell the product to willing filling station owners at very high prices.
According to him, “since we buy at very high prices at private depots, we are also forced to sell to our customers at prices which allow for marginal profit,” admitting that “on Friday, we sold at N300 per litre but today (Saturday), we are selling at N200.”
At Propel Filling Station along Ada-George Road, Miss Juliet Njiedika told The Tide that, “as at yesterday (Friday), we sold N300, but today (Saturday), we are selling N250.”
She admitted that the excruciating hardship was hitting hash blow on both owners of filling stations, motorists and other customers resident in the state.
A motorist, Peter Israel, regretted that the task force set up by the state government has achieved little result as private filling stations sell the product at very high prices, while some major filling stations, which have stock of petrol either concentrate on selling to black market operators or completely hoard to product in order to hike the price when customers become desperate to get it at all cost.
Israel said most private filling stations sell the product at between N250 and N300 per litre, complaining that in spite of announcements by the state Ministry of Environment that many filling stations have received the product for sale, only very infinitesimal number across the state capital are actually open to the public, and are selling at official pump price.
He said that the situation has made queues at the few major filling stations longer than necessary, and customers staying, sometimes, two to three days at filling stations before they are able to buy petrol at government-approved pump price.
Another motorist, Ifeanyi Onyechukwu, said “right now, there is no fuel anywhere, and worst still, if you see to buy, it is very expensive”, adding that high cost of procuring petrol has had ripple effect on transport fares, which he said has skyrocketed by over 300 per cent.
Efforts to talk with the NNPC mega station management proved abortive as few officials seen at filling stations in Port Harcourt declined comments, and rather referred our correspondents to NNPC headquarters for answers to the festering enigma.
The situation which became more serious over the weekend caused most motorists operating in the city to park their auto mobiles as there was no petrol to buy.
Few stations with the product who were besieged by long queues sold at the rate of N200.00 per litre while at the back market, a litre sold for N300 and above.
Black marketers s also sold 10 litres for between N2,500 and N3,000 and 20 litres at between N5, 500 and N7,000.
Transporters increased their charges by 100 per cent.
From Rumuokoro to Mile 3 Park that normally cost N100 went up to N200, from Mile 1 Flyover to Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST) that normally went for N50 by taxi went up to N100.
Investigation further revealed that Iloabuchi to UST backgate is now N100 from the former N50, while Port Harcourt to Ahoada is now N600 from the previous N500.
Similarly, Port Harcourt to Andoni is now N900 from N600, Port Harcourt to Omoku N800 from N600, while Port Harcourt to Bori is now N500 from N400, while the fare from Port Harcourt to Okrika which was previously N250, is now N300.
Infact, passengers said, every stop by taxi and bus within the Port Harcourt metropolis is now N100 instead of the usual N50.
Chris Oluoh & Susan Serekara-Nwikhana
A Coalition of civil society organisations has urged the Federal Government to take proactive steps towards addressing the persistent gas eruptions in Bille, Rivers.
The coalition, made up of the People’s Assembly and Bille Working Group, made the call in an open letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu, and read to journalists in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Reading the letter, the coalition’s convener, Dr Isaac Osuoka, said that the persistent gas eruption in Bille had led to serious environmental and public health challenges.
Osuoka, also the Executive Director, Social Action, urged Tinubu to establish a presidential task force to investigate and contain the gas leak in Bille.
He also called for the immediate relocation of residents to safe shelters, provision of clean water, food and healthcare services.
Dr Emem Okon, the Executive Director, Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre, stated that gas had been bubbling from the ground, creeks, boreholes and hand-dug wells in the community since October 2025.
Okon said that the gas had triggered several fires and explosions, and that residents of the community had reported respiratory problems, vomiting and other illnesses associated with exposure to the emissions.
According to her, preliminary investigations by the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) have yet to identify the source of the gas.
Mr Kentebe Ebiaridor, the Coordinator, Oilwatch International, called for the publication of results from preliminary soil and water tests conducted in Bille for the residents to know the nature and extent of the contamination.
Ebiaridor urged the Federal Government to deploy medical teams to screen and treat affected residents, and immediately commence an independent study on the health impacts of the leak.
He further called for the suspension of oil and gas operations around OML 18 and 24 until the source of the gas leak was identified and the affected areas declared safe.
Ebiaridor urged the government to hold current and former operators of the oil leases accountable for environmental damage on the community.
Another speaker, Dr Bieye Briggs, urged the National Assembly to fast-track the NOSDRA Amendment Bill, 2025 to provide the agency with statutory funding and stronger enforcement powers.
Briggs urged the Federal Government to activate the regional Spill Command Centre, and make the Upstream Remediation Fund accessible for the Bille crisis and other affected communities in the Niger Delta.
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has banned drone operations and fireworks in Uyo and announced temporary traffic restrictions ahead of President Bola Tinubu’s visit to the State today.
The state Commissioner of Police, Baba Mohammed Azare, announced the measures yesterday while briefing journalists at the Police Headquarters in Ikot Akpan Abia, Uyo.
He said the restrictions were part of security arrangements to maintain public order, protect strategic locations and ensure the smooth movement of the President’s convoy during his engagements.
“There will be total restriction on the operation and flying of drones within Uyo metropolis throughout the period of the visit. Members of the public, drone operators and service providers are advised to strictly comply with the directive,” he said.
The police commissioner also announced a ban on fireworks, knockouts and other explosive sound-producing devices within the state capital during the visit.
He said the measure would prevent panic and allow security personnel to respond effectively to genuine security threats.
The command also announced temporary restrictions on public access to designated routes and locations in Uyo to facilitate the movement of the presidential convoy.
The affected areas are Airport Road, Shelter Afrique Junction, Oron Road, Nung Oku Junction, Mbierebe Junction and Godswill Akpabio International Stadium.
“Motorists are urged to plan their journeys, exercise patience and cooperate with traffic and security personnel deployed along the corridors.
“Members of the public are advised to avoid the routes during the restriction and use alternative routes,” Azare said.
He also urged residents to plan their journeys, exercise patience and cooperate with traffic and security personnel deployed along the affected corridors.
The commissioner said the command, working with other security agencies, had put in place security arrangements to ensure a peaceful and hitch-free visit.
He appealed to residents to understand that the temporary restrictions were necessary security measures and not intended to cause hardship.
Azare urged members of the public to remain law-abiding, avoid restricted areas and report suspicious movements to the nearest police station or through police emergency channels.
Tinubu’s visit to Akwa Ibom is a working visit during which he is expected to inaugurate major infrastructure projects executed by Governor Umo Eno’s administration under its ARISE Agenda. The projects cut across aviation, road infrastructure, tourism, healthcare, land administration and security.
Among the projects scheduled for inauguration are the international terminal building and airport hospital at Victor Attah International Airport, Aviation Village, ARISE Palm Resort, the 14.5-kilometre Nsit Atai–Okobo Road, Ring Road 3, the Command and Control Centre and the AkwaGIS building.
The state government had earlier announced plans for the President to inaugurate projects as part of activities marking Akwa Ibom’s 39th anniversary in September.
The airport projects are particularly significant to the state’s ambition to expand aviation, tourism and investment.
The international terminal is expected to strengthen the airport’s capacity to handle international operations, while the Aviation Village is intended to provide accommodation for aviation workers. The airport hospital is also among the facilities lined up for inauguration.
The road projects are also expected to improve connectivity. The 14.5-kilometre Nsit Atai–Okobo Road links communities in the two local government areas, while Ring Road 3 is designed to improve movement within Uyo and ease pressure on existing roads. The Command and Control Centre, meanwhile, is intended to strengthen security surveillance and coordination in the State.
The Rivers State Ministry of Culture and Tourism has floated a culture content platform in collaboration with digital television group, Multichoice.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Freddy Ndigbara, disclosed this after a meeting with MultiChoice Head of Content Acquisition, Don Dotun Ojon, in Port Harcourt.
He assured that content entrepreneurs and film makers would enjoy the platform by promoting culture and other contents to sell the states tourism potentials.
He said MultiChoice M-net was now open to increase its patronage for content shots on locations in Rivers State, describing the State as one that has numerous potentials for film tourism.
“We were privileged to have Don Ojon with us at the Rivers International Film Festival (RIFF) at the weekend in Bonny and he saw, first hand, the numerous sites and opportunities that are open to creatives in the State. After that, we felt it was important to deepen the conversation and he obliged. This is a cheering news for the sector in the State,” he said.
Ndigbara stated that “Rivers State has many more untold stories to tell, many more contents to reel out and the assurances from the M-net Acquisition Manager is an indication that the industry in the state will soon enjoy a new lease of life”.
The Permanent Secretary thanked Ojon for the visit and assured that creatives in the State would grap this opportunity and show the world that Rivers State is a major hub for film tourism in Nigeria.
On his part, Ojon said the visit was to discuss on ways of promoting tourism in the State using creatives and film.
Ojon said although the company has recently been acquired by canal+ France and is undergoing restructuring, he would promote the chances of Rivers State to host the MultiChoice talent factory in the State.
With Asaba, capital of Delta State, being saturated, Ojon said the next port is Rivers State, which he said is capable of building fresh crop of creatives, new locations, new story lines and concepts.
He, therefore, called for collaboration from stakeholders in the State.
Kevin Nengia
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