Fuel Hike: Residents Stranded, Businesses Paralysed As Tricycle Riders Protest In Kwara

Commercial activities were grounded in Ilorin, Kwara state capital on Thursday as commercial transport operators protested the new fuel price hike by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

The protest which was started by the tricycle operators left many residents stranded and spiked transportation cost by over 100 per cent.

The aggrieved transporters forced other intra city commercial operators off the road and occupied major junctions in the state capital.

Places like Maraba, Taiwo Isale, Unity road, Olorunshogo, GSS and Offa garage roundabout among others were flash points.

Motorcycle and tricycle passengers were forcefully disembarked and made to trek while vehicle owners were asked to display leaves in solidarity with them before they were allowed to go.

A protester, Habeebullahi Isiaka, said, “We are buying fuel at N1,250 per litre. Passengers are seriously complaining. We can’t make money to feed our family after fuelling with the new hike at a time we were seriously expecting reduction.

“President Tinubu should reverse the fuel price to N185 because we can’t continue like this. We hope the president still wants Nigeria to exist.”

Our correspondent also learnt that some owners of commercial shops also closed for business.

Although there were some unconfirmed reports of gunshots, efforts to reach the spokesperson of the state police command, DSP Ejire Adeyemi Toun, proved abortive at the time of this report.

Meanwhile, the Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has directed the immediate deployment of buses to different parts of the metropolis to ease the movement of commuters.

“The buses are to take people to the most central destinations free of charge. We hope that persons attending the SUBEB job placement interviews would find this helpful, particularly in the metropolis,” a statement signed by Rafiu Ajakaye, chief press secretary to the governor, said on Thursday.

The statement further said that the governor also appealed to transporters and members of the public to exercise patience over the new fuel price hike, saying different government stakeholders were reviewing the situation with public good as a top priority.

“The inconveniences are regretted, and we are confident that things will ease as soon as possible,” it added.