According to a news report from the Daily Post, the Kwara State Government task force conducted a raid on several filling stations within the Ilorin metropolis on Monday. The purpose of this operation was to address the persistent fuel scarcity in the state.

The government sternly warned these filling stations against hoarding fuel, emphasizing that such practices inflict unnecessary hardship on the masses. Prince Mahe Abdulkadir, the Chief of Staff at the Government House, leads the team responsible for tackling the fuel shortage issue.

In an effort to ensure that the majority of the population benefits from democracy, the task force closely monitored major marketers’ activities. They confirmed that these marketers were making efforts to maintain adequate fuel supplies.

“As a responsible and responsive government, we cannot be folding our hands watching. We have to see that the majority of our people enjoy the dividends of democracy,” Prince Abdulkadir told reporters during the exercise.

“We observed that the major marketers are doing their best so far because we checked their pits,” he added.

Prince Abdulkadir also appealed to the people of the state to be patient and avoid panic-buying.

“We want to call on the people of the state to be patient and avoid panic buying, the federal government is not trying to increase the prices of fuel. We will make sure our people are not shortchanged,” he stated.

Filling stations inspected included Total Energies Post Office Area; Rainoil Filling Station Asa Dam; NNPC Gerin Alimi; Total Energies Surulere; NNPC Surulere; and MRS Filling Station Oja-Oba.

The Chief of Staff charged the management of fuel stations dispensing fuel across the state to properly organise their customers to ensure orderliness.

At Rainoil Filling Station Asa Dam, NNPC Gerin Alimi, and NNPC Surulere, the team confirmed that there was enough fuel in their pits and encouraged them to continue to sell in an orderly manner.

Some of the managers promised to avoid hoarding in the interest of the state.

In their reactions, some motorists on queue appealed to the government to continue to monitor sales of fuel to check hoarding and reduce hardship occasioned by fuel scarcity in the state.