A lawmaker, Mr Setonji David, on Sunday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to adopt measures to stop the alleged diversion of petrol to neighbouring countries through the Seme border in Lagos State.
David, who represents Badagry II in the Lagos State House of Assembly, who made the plea, said residents of Badagry have noticed daily movement of tankers fully loaded with petrol moving into the Republic of Benin.
According to him, the smuggling of the product is to frustrate efforts of the Federal Government in ending current fuel scarcity in the country.
“Those of us in Badagry axis have noticed an excruciating and unpalatable trend that is aggravating the hardship and causing further pain for our people.
“Since the commencement of the current scarcity, fuel tankers fully loaded with PMS are being ferried to the neighbouring country, precisely Republic of Benin.
“A minimum of 50 tankers are being driven out of the country to Benin through Seme border in Badagry while our people are suffering untold hardship.
“A few fuel stations that sell in Badagry presently sell between N200 and N250 per litre,” he said.
David, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Physical Planning and Urban Development, stressed that the government must stop the diversion to reduce the suffering of Nigerians.
He urged the government to compel the Department of Petroleum Resources, security agencies and Customs to end the practice.
Motorists and commuters have been going through hardship as a result of the ongoing fuel scarcity.
