Hundreds of residents have reportedly stormed the capital city of Benin, Edo State, in protest against the Federal Government’s removal of fuel subsidy.
Gists9ja reports that the protesters, brandishing placards, are marching through the main streets, demanding an immediate reversal of the pump price to N210 until July 2023.
Their main contention is that if the petrol subsidy is to be abolished, the government should prioritise the repair and operation of the four Nigerian refineries to ensure petrol production for domestic consumption.
Among the slogans on their placards are: “We refuse to pay N520, demand N210 for petrol” and “Petrol must be N210 until July ends.”
It is worth noting that President Bola Tinubu, during his inaugural speech as the 16th President of Nigeria, declared on Monday that there would be no more subsidy on petrol, also known as premium motor spirit (PMS).
Consequently, long queues have reemerged at filling stations across the country due to panic buying and hoarding by fuel dealers.
Just hours before the scheduled meeting between organised labour and government representatives, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) released a list of adjusted pump prices for its mega stations in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The new pump prices for premium motor spirit (PMS) range from N488 in Lagos State to N557 per litre in Yobe and Borno states, with Abuja and Enugu at N537 and N520, respectively.
