Date: 2017-12-26

There was low attendance at most churches in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Monday as many Christians queued for fuel at filling stations as early as 5.30am.

"Instead of going to church for Christmas service, I arrived here at 5.30am with the hope that I would be among those who would buy fuel but I was shocked to meet over 50 vehicles already. This is the only filling station that has not hiked its pump price since the scarcity began; so you can understand why everyone patronises the filling station," said Adediran Olabisi who was waiting to buy fuel at the filling station.

He added, "There seems to be a deliberate attempt to make life difficult for Nigerians. But why did the perpetrators chose this special season. I am here looking for fuel for our only car; my household cannot go to church."

A commercial bus owner, Segun Adeola, said he worked last on Friday because he had been looking for fuel. He also lamented missing Christmas service.

"I cannot afford the black market price because I am not likely going to make the money back from passenger fares. I have been at this filling station for two days and I am still in the queue. I won't be going for service this morning because I don't know when it will be my turn. We hope our government and whoever is in charge of fuel importation and distribution will have mercy on suffering Nigerians," he said.

Similarly, many residents of Kwara State spent the day at petrol stations.

Our correspondent, who monitored development in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on Monday, gathered that many motorists, commercial motorcycle operators and other consumers besieged few stations selling petrol as early as early as 5am.

Reports from the hinterlands across the state also indicated the scarcity of petrol and the attendant chaos in few stations that sold fuel.

Many of the petrol stations were chaotic in spite of the presence of security officials, including police and soldiers as people struggled to buy fuel.

A motorist, Yahaya Ahmed, said, "I was in the queue on Sunday waiting to buy petrol. They made us believe a truck would discharge petrol, so I waited after service from 4pm till 8pm. When I got tired, I left my car so that early in the morning I would return. I came here as early as 6am this morning and I was here till about 3pm when I was lucky to fill my tank."