Fresh queues have surfaced in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), leaving motorists spending hours to buy Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), aka petrol.

This followed the closure of many filling stations operated by independent marketers.

Findings by Daily Trust on Tuesday evening, showed that many filling stations in Abuja did not open, while there were long queues at the few stations that dispensed the product, particularly those operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and some major oil marketers.

Outlets such as the NNPC mega station on the Katampe axis of the Zuba-Kubwa Expressway, AP station along Aguiyi Ironsi Street in the city centre, and NIPCO filling station also along the Zuba-Kubwa expressway, among others, had massive queues.

The situation left scores of residents stranded at various bus stops.

It has also created a lucrative environment for black marketers, exploiting the situation to make exorbitant profits.

Quoting sources, PUNCH reported that members of the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN) had lifted over 50 million litres of PMS from the Dangote Refinery in the past week.

Speaking during a webinar on Tuesday, Huub Stokman, Chairman of MEMAN, confirmed that major marketers have started loading the product from the refinery.

However, Stokman did not reveal whether or not the marketers were buying directly from Dangote or from the product bought by the NNPCL.

“I can tell you that we have started loading PMS from Dangote refinery. Our members have lifted millions of litres from Dangote,” he said. (Daily Trust)