Enugu Motorists, Traders Protest Hike In Fuel Price, Scarcity Of New Naira Notes
Some motorists and traders in Enugu State on Wednesday, carried out peaceful demonstration to protest increase in petrol pump price and scarcity of new naira notes in banks, coupled with high cost of living causing the masses much hardship and sufferings.
The protesters lamented tha filling station owners kept hiking the prices daily, while others hoarded the products.
According to reports, the protest, began along Gariki and Agbani roads in Enugu South LGA of Enugu State, hindered vehicular movement.
The protest later spread to Ogbete Market, Oguiyi Road, New Haven and Independence Layout, forcing shops and some offices to close down for fear of looting and destruction.
The protesters were seen discharging passengers from buses, forcing them to join the protest, while private vehicles put green leaves on their cars in solidarity.
Some filling stations now sell a litre of fuel between N450 and N500 while some others were closed.
Some drivers said the suffering they were going through to get the product was too much for them, stressing that something needed to be done urgently to salvage the situation.
Some of the protesters who spoke to journalists, complained against incessant increase in pump price, saying it was no longer acceptable, wondering why filling station owners/ marketers should continue to take Nigerians for granted.
“How can we buy fuel N400 yesterday and today it has risen to N500, and we, the motorists, are saying no to impunity.
“By tomorrow, if they do not return to the normal price, we will give out their fuel to people free of charge,” he threatened.
Another driver, hey were expressing their anger over certain anomalies in the state.
He said, “If you want to buy fuel, they will tell you to use Point of Sales (POS) whereas, the queue is much and if you go to the bank, you will spend the whole day before it will get to your turn”.
Chidiebere Njoku, another motorist, called on governments to make the product available and appealed to oil marketers in the state to start selling their products to alleviate their plight.
He added, “If I buy fuel at N500, how much will I tell the passenger I am carrying to pay?”
A trader, Obiageli Chikwelu, said she could not buy her wares due to a lack of cash, adding that bank apps were not working due to network problems.
The chaos forced many filling stations, shops, and offices to close to avoid destruction.
However, police operatives were seen in New Haven trying to check the protest from escalating, or becoming violent.
