Anambra State experienced widespread disruption on Wednesday as numerous commuters and motorists were left stranded due to the closure of petrol stations.
According to reports from PUNCH Online, numerous petrol stations in major cities like Awka, Onitsha, Nnewi, Umunze, and Ekwulobia, along with their surroundings, were unable to dispense fuel on Wednesday morning. The situation extended from Upper Iweka parks in Onitsha to the Aroma roundabout in Awka and other urban centers.
Consequently, the scarcity of vehicles on the road led to a substantial increase in transport fares, with prices soaring by over 200 percent.
Commuters who secured seats on the limited number of available buses were compelled to pay excessively high fares, catching many off guard and prompting others to trek to their destinations.
The reason why the petrol stations were shut down could not be immediately ascertained.
Meanwhile, the development generated a lot of mixed feelings among the public, with some people believing that the petrol stations were on strike, while others suspected it was a deliberate attempt by the marketers to increase the pump price of the commodity.
It was also observed that the sudden fare hike also affected both inter-state and intra-state movements.
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