Anxiety has gripped residents of Ilorin following frequent hike in the price of kerosene otherwise known as Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) with no explanation from relevant government agencies in the petroleum industry.

Independent investigation conducted across some petrol stations in the capital city of Kwara State yesterday revealed that the price of the domestic cooking facility had persistently fluctuated in the last one week.

Hitherto, a litre of kerosene was dispensed between N150 and N160 per litre, indicating that the price determinant was at liberty of the filling stations.

It was gathered that the unofficial price regime of kerosene had sent jitters down the spine of commoners, who used the liquid substance in their cooking.

Visits to some filling stations in the city of Ilorin showed that there was variation in the price of DPK few days ago until yesterday when the price got skyrocketed.

At Yemsonat petrol station along New Yidi Road, a litre of kerosene was sold for N175 contrary to four days ago when it was dispensed at N160.

A female attendant at the station, who preferred to remain anonymous told City Rove that the kerosene price has not been stable.

"We don't know what was happening, the price of kerosene has been oscillating upward and downward. Just four days ago, we sold a litre for N160 but the tune has changed now. We sell a litre for N175 now", she said.

Similarly, a visit to Energy Station located on Basin Road showed that the station had adjusted to N175 per litre for kerosene.

A male attendant told our correspondent that the station sold a litre for N150 last week.

When inquired when the price had gone higher, he could not give proper response, saying that was the new price regime.

"We dispensed a litre of kerosene for N150 in this station last week. It was no longer what we used to sell it. We can't say precisely this is what has happened. We only know that the price has been fluctuating", he said.

It was observed that the two stations, namely Yemsonat and Energy belonged to independent fuel marketers.

Visit to another private marketer, Bovas along Fate Road showed that the commodity was not available as our correspondent only met attendants dispensing fuel to motorists and other users.

Similar visit to Rockfield on Fate Road, Total near Ilorin Railway Station, MRS on Taiwo/Unity Junction indicated that the stations were not having the petroleum product in their stock.

In a telephone chat yesterday, factional chairman of Independent Petroleum Marketers in Kwara State, Olanrewaju Okanlawon, said increment in the price of kerosene was as a result of unavailability of the commodity in the government designated depots.

Okanlawon noted that it was impossible for them to get the product at exorbitant price in the depots owned by private individuals and in turn sell at government official price.

He explained that the price was justifiable as marketers opted to procure the product at private depots in Lagos, adding that the commodity had finished in the private depots.

Okanlawon maintained that if any of his member exhausted the product at hand, there was tendency of the price getting hike because most of the alternative depots had been emptied.

He stated that the marketers could not also travel to some southern states to buy the commodity due to incessant attacks on oil facilities by Niger Delta Avengers, a new militia in the oil rich region.