NNPC Boss Rushes Home As Fuel Queues Resurface In Abuja

Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru on Tuesday cut short his trip to London following the resurgence of fuel queues at filling stations in Abuja and some states.

Fuel queues have been noticed at some fuel stations in Abuja, Lagos and some states between Monday and Tuesday despite NNPC assurance that it had enough fuel in its depots to service the country.

Mr Ndu Ughamadu, General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the corporation on Monday also declared that there is no plan to increase prices of petroleum products.

Ughamadu said the ex-depot petrol price and pump price will remain the same.

He said the corporation has enough fuel in stock to distribute across the country.

NNPC added that its downstream subsidiary companies — the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC) and NNPC Retail Limited — are “fully geared up” to ensure that motorists enjoy adequate supply of petrol throughout the country.

Dr. Baru, who was expected to receive the Forbes Oil & Gas Man of the Year Award 2017 in London on Tuesday, flew back home to attend to what he described as a “matter of urgent national importance.”

Speaking on the development shortly before his departure back to the country, Baru called on Nigerians to stop panic buying as the Corporation was doing everything within its reach to address the situation.

“For the umpteenth time, I wish to call on all Nigerians to stop panic buying. We have said times without number that NNPC has sufficient products to cater for the needs of all consumers,” Baru stated via a statement on Tuesday.