Drivers increase fares in Ibadan

By OLA AJAYI

IBADAN – THE sudden astronomical increase in the fuel price from N65 to N145 per litre has led to increase in transportation fares within and outside Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.

Besides, many filling stations within the city have capitalized on the increase and started extorting motorists and other customers.

Shortly before the announcement of the increase in the petroleum products, most of the filling stations had hoarded the products and shut their gates against motorists.

Few that sold fuel were collecting bribe ranging from N500-N1000 in some areas in Ibadan.

In the early hours of  today, some independent fuel marketers quickly opened and dispensed fuel at N145 and N150. This led to long queue of vehicles and other people who wanted to buy with jerry cans.

People were seen carrying 50kg jerry cans searching for fuel wherever they could get it. Many commuters were stranded at bus stops.

In the afternoon, few filling station, that were selling the product , probably for fear of attack by angry Nigerians quickly shut their gates.

On the transportation fare, commercial drivers have jerked up their fares by over one hundred per cent.

Before the increase, they normally charged N30, N40, N50 at areas like Eleyele, Sango, Dugbe, Ologuneru. But as at yesterday, the few vehicles plying the road charged N70, N80, N120 for the areas. Passengers from Ibadan to Ido now cough out N150 where they used to pay N100.

Mokola to Gate that used to cost N70 is now N150, while Sango to Beere which was N100 is now N170. From Dugbe to challenge which was N70 is now N150.

It was a good opportunity for commercial cyclists popularly called okada as they charged between N500 and N800 for a single passenger and N400 for two passengers from Mokola to Eleyele in Ibadan.

A man, Mr. Kola Adebesin who has his family in Ibadan but works at Saki said he paid N800 before the new year, but now they charge between N1,500 and N2,000.

In 2011, drivers who used to collect N800  for commercial buses and N1,150 for cars now charge N1,500 and N2,500 respectively.