We can reliably inform that youths in Obudu, North of Cross River State, have staged a demonstration against some premium motor spirit, PMS, vendors in the area who are believed to be outrageously exploiting the lingering petrol scarcity in large parts of the country.
“Since December 10, 2017, some of these filling stations have been selling fuel at N240, while stations in neighbouring Tsav, Benue State and even in Obanliku, have been selling at between N170 to N190 a litre. We decided to stop this extortion because a few persons are getting rich while a greater percentage of persons are seriously suffering. It is also very painful that Larry Agim, who heads the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, in Cross River State is from Obudu and doesn’t see anything wrong with the fact that these people are stealing us dry”, one source in the area wrote in.
Agim, www.calitown.com investigations suggest, may have very little to offer in forcing these fuel vendors to bring down the price per litre of fuel. ” They are pecuniary rewards in all or these for him and we also hear that the police in Obudu have been compromised. You can see that when the youths came out and tried to force down the pump price, the police came out in full force to protect these Venice-like merchants, who are ensuring that we suffer”, another source from Obudu, told www.calitown.com.
But IPMAN sources in the area maintain that “fuel cannot be sold at a price fixed by rampaging Obudu youths, sponsored by funny persons who do not know how we obtain fuel from depots, transport to Obudu and the things we incur along the way. Let them go grind an axe with the Federal Government and leave poor marketers alone.”
Police sources in the area deny they have been compromised. “Those who are suggesting that we shouldn’t have come out to prevent a break down of law and order, do not know what our responsibilities are. Let these people dialogue and leave out this thuggish approach”, one senior police officer said.
