Fuel Hawkers Make Brisk Business In Jigawa

Roadside fuel hawkers in Dutse, Jigawa State, are making brisk businesses due to fuel scarcity in the state.

Our correspondent who went round the city on Saturday reports that none of the filling stations was dispensing fuel.

A fuel hawker, who identified himself as Nuhu Ado told newsmen that a four-litre gallon of fuel was being sold for N600 as against the former price of N400.

He said that 20 litres jerrycan of fuel, which was formerly sold for N2,000, now sells for N3,500.

Ado said they increased the prices because they travelled far distances and bought the fuel at exorbitant rates.

Another hawker, Malam Isa Maikudi, said he had brought out his jerrycans of fuel, which he had abandoned when there was no fuel business.

Maikudi, who said he had left the business for farming, added that he would continue to reap from it beyond January “when the government must have taken firm decision on fuel subsidy.”

A motorist, Alhaji Aminu Baba, described the fuel situation as unfortunate.

“Many filling stations have fuel but are hoarding it because of the issue of fuel subsidy removal.

“Should the government remove the subsidy, there will be hike in prices of petroleum products,” he said.

Baba said he bought two gallons of fuel for N1, 200 at Shuwarin because he could not get it in any of the filling stations.

“The situation is unfortunate. Apart from hike in the price of fuel we bought from the hawkers, we don’t even trust the product because it can damage our cars,” he said.

He appealed to the government to intervene to “save the common man from untold hardships caused by the fuel scarcity.”