The PDP Chieftain said that the call became necessary considering the consistency of such scarcity once the year was coming to an end.
Chief Alexander Mwolwus, a Plateau PDP Chieftain, on Thursday called on Federal Government to investigate and sanction the people behind the current fuel scarcity in the country.
Mwolwus, who made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Pankshin, Plateau, blamed the scarcity across the country on activities of the so called cabals in the oil industry.
The PDP Chieftain said that the call became necessary considering the consistency of such scarcity once the year was coming to an end.
Mwolwus, former Special Adviser on Political Matters to ex-Gov. Jonah Jang, called on the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the NNPC to investigate the matter and punish those found involved.
“Fuel scarcity at a time like this embarrasses government; we must strategise on how to checkmate artificial scarcity to avoid the attendant sufferings to the masses.
“Some people within the oil industry think they can hold the rest of us to ransom by disrupting supply of fuel to the market.
“This was done with the intention of making quick money for themselves.
“The question the masses are asking is, why is it that once Christmas is approaching, the issue of fuel scarcity would hit the country, thereby subjecting Nigerians to untold hardships?”
He noted that already, long queues had started building up in filling stations across the nation because of fuel scarcity with people engaging in panic buying of the product.
He said that the government should not allow the cabals to hold the nation to ransom because of their selfish interest.
“My fear of situation like this is that individuals may resort to hiding fuel in their homes and when there is any fire incident, innocent lives are lost as a result.’’
“The government should not just fold its arms but must act quickly to arrest the situation,” Mwolwus advised.