THERE is looming fuel scarcity in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria as tanker drivers have stopped fuel loading over alleged harassment by officials of the Lagos State Government and the Federal Ministry of Transportation.
Also, telecommunications companies have raised concerns over a possible network blackout as the strike by petroleum tanker drivers could disrupt diesel supply, threatening the operations of mobile and internet services.
This newspaper learned that the truck drivers could not load fuel on Saturday and Sunday, creating fears of scarcity in Lagos and other states.
However, the Lagos State Government said it was only enforcing its e-call-up system, warning that attempts to blackmail the state government would not work.
The e-call-up system is a digital platform that manages the movement of trucks in the Lekki-Epe corridor of Lagos. The system was launched in September 2024 to help reduce traffic congestion
In an interview with one of our correspondents, the National President of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, Yusuf Othman, said members of his association were often beaten and harassed by government officials for no known reason.
According to him, trucks were being seized and damaged by the government officials, adding that he would not know if there would be fuel loading on Monday (today).
“The problem we have now is that the tax force in Lagos State has towed our trucks and they are beating our drivers, They damaged the vehicle of the union. So, because of that, there was no loading yesterday (Saturday and there is no loading today (Sunday). I don’t know whether there will be any form of loading tomorrow in Lagos environment. The union and the tax force are disturbing us,” Othman stated.
Asked if this would not lead to fuel scarcity, he replied, “Well, I wouldn’t know, but I know there was no loading yesterday, there is no loading today, and there may not be tomorrow. And all is because of this Lagos tax force.
“They are busy collecting our vehicles, giving fines and whatever. I don’t know how they will operate without fuel trucks. There is no refinery or depot in any place that can operate without a vehicle that will come and take products from them. So, they have to find a way of ensuring that we all co-exist peacefully,” he stated.
The NARTO president said this does not relate to the ban on 60,000 trucks.
“It’s entirely a different thing. It’s a tax force from the Lagos State Government and the Federal Ministry of Transport,” he disclosed.
Reacting, the Lagos State Government emphasised that the government was making efforts to sanitise traffic along the road to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, Wale Musa, said the state government would not allow tanker drivers to turn the area to another Apapa which used to be characterised by massive gridlocks in the past.
“I am aware that some enforcement was done at the Dangote refinery axis. If it is the same issue, the enforcement is to ensure compliance with our e-call-up system.
“We won’t allow them to turn that place into another Apapa. Their attempt at blackmail will not suffice. We urge willful compliance for everybody’s sake,” Musa said in a chat.