Fuel scarcity worsened in Benin City, Edo, on Tuesday as motorists besieged filling stations across the metropolis following a sharp increase in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), now selling between N1,300 and N1,350 per litre.

A visit by Nigerian Tribune to several filling stations in the city revealed no longer queues of vehicles and motorcycles as early as 9:00 a.m., with many motorists purchasing the product while complaining of the pump prices, which range between N1, 300 and N1350 per litre.

At the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Mega Station along Sapele Road, petrol sold for N1,165 per litre, while a long queue of vehicles stretched along the road.

The entrance gate to the station was temporarily closed despite the large number of motorists waiting to buy fuel.

Some outlets were also affected by a shortage of the product.

At Raptor Filling Station, the pumps were initially shut down after the station reportedly ran out of fuel, forcing motorists to search for other outlets where the product was available. Sales later resumed during the day.

Checks by the Nigerian Tribune showed that the price of petrol rose significantly within the last 24 hours.

While a litre of the product sold between N1,200 and N1,240 on Monday in some stations, the price increased to between N1,300 and N1,350 on Tuesday in several outlets across the city.

Further checks revealed varying pump prices across different filling stations. At NIPCO Filling Station, petrol was sold for N1,280 per litre, while the product was dispensed for between N1,280 and N1,300 per litre at Oando, Rainoil, Sazzy, General Oil, DVD Oil, and Coinoil filling stations visited.

Motorists and residents expressed frustration over the development, lamenting that the scarcity was disrupting their daily activities and increasing transportation costs within the city.

A commercial driver, Mr Paul Ezomoghene, said the rising cost of petrol was making it increasingly difficult for transport operators to maintain current fares.

According to him, many drivers were already considering an upward review of transport fares to cope with the high cost of fuel.

Also speaking, a trader at New Benin Market, Mrs Antonia Obi, lamented that the surge in fuel prices was already affecting the cost of transporting goods to the market, noting that transporters had begun demanding higher fares, a development she said could lead to an increase in the prices of food items and other commodities.

Another resident, Miss Imuentiyan Esther, said the situation was already placing pressure on households as families now spend more on transportation and other daily needs, warning that the persistent rise in fuel prices could further worsen the economic hardship faced by many Nigerians.

Similarly, a civil servant, Mr Bassey Emmanuel, said the rising cost of petrol was gradually affecting the prices of goods and services in the city and called on relevant authorities to urgently intervene to ensure a stable supply and ease the hardship faced by residents.

Other respondents also noted that transportation costs had already begun to rise, a development they fear could trigger an increase in the prices of food items and other commodities in markets across Benin.

They therefore called on both the Federal and Edo State governments to urgently address the situation to ease the hardship faced by residents and prevent further escalation in the cost of living.

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