Tanker drivers have resumed fuel loading after resolving their dispute with the Lagos State Government.
Several fuel tankers were seen transporting petroleum products on Wednesday and Thursday,
to filling stations within and outside Lagos.
Recall that many filling stations ran out of stock on Monday as tanker drivers refused to lift petroleum products from the Dangote refinery and depots since Saturday.
The drivers accused the Lagos State Government and its task force of harassment, assault, extortion, and seizure of their trucks.
Truck drivers and marketers claimed that about 30 trucks were seized after the task force raided their park at night along the Lekki Free Trade Zone, where they had gone to lift products on Saturday.
However, the Lagos State Government stated that its officials were attacked while enforcing the e-call-up system, adding that only 11 trucks were seized and later released.
In an interview, the National President of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, Yusuf Othman, said that the issues were being resolved amicably.
He stated that the seized trucks, along with those arrested during the raid, have been released.
“Yes, the information available is that they (the government officials) have released the vehicles; they have also released the drivers. So, I think the work is about to commence,” Othman stated.
“I am aware that there are some amicable resolutions reached.”
Responding to the Lagos State Government’s claim that only 11 trucks were seized, Othman said, “Forget about them. Even if it is one, why should they arrest? We should be working harmoniously, we have to work together. There has to be an enabling environment for us all to work together,” he explained.
The NARTO leader cautioned the government against stifling tanker drivers under the pretext of revenue generation.
He emphasized their vital role in the economy, stating that no refinery or depot in Nigeria can function without trucks transporting fuel for distribution.
“You can’t just be strangulating us and you want us to operate just in the guise of looking for money. Everybody is looking for money. By the time they scare all the trucks away, who will do the work? If you have a depot in Lagos, naturally trucks must be there to take away the content of the depot. If you have a refinery and you are saying trucks should not go there, then how will people recoup their investments? And this is a country where people say they are looking for investors. Is this the way to look for investors?” Othman queried.
In similar vein, the National Vice President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Hammed Fashola, confirmed the release of the trucks and those arrested.
Marketers had earlier threatened to shut down their stations if the tankers were not released.
