Human rights lawyer Femi Falana believes that the importation scam involving petrol should be looked into. He mentioned on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics show that it is important to investigate this issue.
He also expressed his concern about the situation in the National Assembly. The media and civil society groups need to work together to uncover the fraud. Reports have shown that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) owes petrol suppliers $6 billion, leading to a shortage of petrol in Nigeria.
The NNPCL recently acknowledged its large debt to petrol suppliers, recognizing that it could jeopardize the ongoing supply of fuel. Falana pointed out that when the government talks about making gas stations more affordable and sustainable due to long lines, it raises concerns. He mentioned that there is a lack of transparency from the government regarding fuel subsidies. Falana also noted that Nigeria cannot afford to spend $2.9 billion on refinery repairs, especially since the timelines for when the refineries will start working again keep changing. Zarama Mustapha, the National Operations Controller of IPMAN, mentioned that the high landing cost of petrol has made it difficult for petrol marketers to import the product. If there is another delay in fixing the state-owned refineries, Falana might take legal action against those responsible. NNPC offers fuel to marketers for about ₦565 per liter. This indicates that currently, there is a subsidy of nearly ₦600 to ₦700. Despite what government officials claim about the existence of a subsidy, the reality shows that they are not fully recovering their costs.
