Residents of Nsukka town and environs, on Friday, carried out a peaceful protest over the shutting down of filling stations by their owners without explanation.
Over 2000 protesters, mainly motorcyclists, tricycle operators and other concerned residents, blocked the busy Nsukka Total Roundabout, resulting in traffic gridlock.
Reports have it that roads affected by the blockade included University, Odenigbo and Enugu roads.
The protesters threatened the filling station owners to open their stations and start dispensing petrol to the public or risk their stations being set ablaze.
A protester who identified himself as Mr Mike Ume, said as a result of shut down of the filling stations, fuel was now being sold in the black market at the rate of N1,000 per litre.
Another protester, Mr Samuel Ezema, said the protest was not planned, explaining that few of them, tricycle operators, who could not see anywhere to buy petrol started protesting before other residents started joining in.
According to reports, the timely intervention of policemen from Nsukka Divisional Police Station helped to prevent the situation from going out of hand.
A manager in one of the filling stations in Nsukka town, who pleaded anonymity, however, said the owner of the filling station instructed them not to open the station today because marketers in the area would be holding their meeting.
0
0
