‘We will hit the streets if fuel price hits N700’

A coalition of civil society groups on Friday vowed to resist and picket filling stations that sell fuel above the government-approved price, saying that plans by the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, (IPMAN) to increase the pump price of premium motor spirit to N700 per litre was unacceptable.

The coalition said the development was pure mischief and sabotage, even as Nigerians are still grappling with “price shock”, occasioned by the increment on May 29, 2023.

While reacting to the planned increment of fuel pump price from government-approved N448 per litre to N700, the coalition vowed to shut down any station found wanting and selling above the approved price.

A statement issued by Dr Basil Y Musa, Convener, MHaruna Maigida, Co-Convener, Comrade Ayo Adebayo on behalf of the Coalition said IPMAN was running a parallel government outside a constitutionally recognised government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria headed by President Bola Tinubu.

The Coalition stated that they would mobilise their members and other stakeholders across the 36 states of the federation to embark on a protest, adding that the protest would target shutting down filling stations nationwide, as Nigerians could not afford to be railroaded into ignominy of life by the IPMAN.

Some of the groups included; the Oil and Gas Transparency and Advocacy Group, the Civil Society Coalition for Economic Development (CED), the Centre for Citizens Rights, the Centre for Good Governance Advocacy, the Action against Corruption in Nigeria and others called on the government to call IPMAN to order, stressing that Nigerians are already watching and wallowing in difficulty over the recently adjusted fuel pump price with no palliative measures yet.

They insisted that the IPMAN had no statutory power to adjust fuel pump price, noting that any such move would be resisted at all costs, and “Nigerians would be mobilised to the streets across the federation.

“As Coalition of Civil Society Organisations, we are monitoring events and the proposed fuel pump hike to N700 per litre by the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association