Some motorists in Kwara State have described the current scarcity of fuel as a surreptitious move to stop subsidising the price of the commodity.

Daily Trust reports that for the past two months, independent marketers have been selling a litre of petrol to motorists as high as N120 per litre, instead of the approved N97.

The marketers claimed the increment was as a result of lack of supply from Ilorin Depot of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), adding that they used to buy the product at higher price from outside the state.

Only NNPC mega station, its outlets as well as some major marketers like Total, Conoil, AP, among others, sell at the official rate, it was gathered.

However, they are often crowded with long queues of vehicles any time they are dispensing fuel.

But independent filling stations, in and outside the state, used to sell at over N110 per litre.

Speaking with our correspondent, Chairman Independent Petroleum Marketers (IPMAN) in the state, Mr. Abdulrasheed Olopade said: "Till date, we are not loading in Ilorin and it has also extended to Ibadan."