escalated the already dire situation, forcing motorists and other consumers to the black market.
Investigations also showed that the pump price of the product in the few filling stations who had it ranged from N120 to as high as N400 per litre.
The high price of the product, according to our correspondents, has caused a hike in transport fare with the increase as high as 300 per cent in some places. Many commuters who were caught unawares by the development were seen trekking long distances to their destinations while others were forced to return home.
Most filling stations in the Federal Capital Territory have shut down following the non-availability of the commodity.
The few stations that were dispensing the product had long queues of vehicles with desperate motorists besieging their gates with the hope of getting fuel to pursue their economic and social activities.
However, black marketers were not short of supply as they chased after vehicles along the road selling fuel at N200 per litre to those who could afford it.
Some stations sold fuel at N140 per litre, but few motorists patronised them, preferring to stay in the queue for hours to buy at the official N87 per litre.
Checks showed that most filling stations in the satellite towns including Kubwa, Zuba, Nyanya, Kuje and others sold fuel for N140 per litre.
In Osun State, the situation became worse on Saturday with virtually all filling stations in Osogbo, the state capital remaining shut .
Our correspondent observed that the few filling stations which sold the product on Friday sold it for N150 per litre.
The fuel scarcity forced some residents of Osogbo and other towns including Ede to stay indoors except for those who had very important things to do.
A commercial bus driver, who identified himself as Taye, told our correspondent that the increment in the fare had forced commuters to resort to trekking.
He said, “We just pray that the situation will become normal next week. We are really suffering. There are no commuters on the road; it seems everybody is indoor.”
In Ondo State, a litre of petrol was sold for between N130 and 150 on Saturday. Some filling stations sold the product in Akure, the state capital, while some filling stations were closed.
The fuel scarcity has also forced commercial motorcyclists in the state to increase their fare and thus making many residents to complain.
The situation is not different in Benue where the product is currently sold for between N130 and N150 in Makurdi, the state capital, and major towns of Gboko, Kastina-Ala and Otukpo even as it is hard to come by.
In Taraba State, the situation was largely the same. The product which was sold for between N150 and N160.
In Rivers State, motorists faced a tough time as the commodity remained scarce within Port Harcourt, the state capital. Long queues were noticed in many filling stations that sold fuel. This was between N120 and N140.
In Calabar, petroleum depots were virtually dry. This put so much hardship on motorists and commuters as the price of a litre of petrol went up to between N150 and N250 at independent filing stations and the black market.
Filing stations owned by major marketers did not sell fuel. It was gathered that the major marketers are making brisk businesses by selling their products at the depots to independent marketers at a higher price.
Transport fare had also rose to more than 100 per cent within the Calabar metropolis.
The only NNPC Mega Station along the Murtala Mohammed Highway that was selling fuel had long queue stretching over three kilometres.
A motorist, Mr. Ben Amajo, who said he had spent more than five hours queuing up at the NNPC Mega Station, said he was completely fed up with the situation in the country.
Most of the active filling stations in Enugu State were selling petrol between N140 and N150, while the commodity sold mostly at the cost of N125 and N130 per litre in Abia and Ebonyi states.
The situation was the same in Imo
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