Fuel price: Borno residents dump cars, take to horses, bicycles

Following the increase in petroleum pump prices on Tuesday, more residents, including civil servants in Borno Atate have abandoned their vehicles to embrace trekking, horse riding, and the use of bicycles and tricycles for mobility.

During a tour of Maiduguri, the state capital in the early hours of Thursday, PUNCH Online observed that there were fewer vehicles on the road and more pedestrians including horse and bicycle riders on major roads.

One of the pedestrians, Dadoon Pam, who is a graphic designer, told our correspondent that the cost of mobility has increased significantly as tricycle riders now refer to NNPC’s increase of petroleum products price, making commuters pay almost double the amount before the increase.

He also said, “This price has affected me terribly because as a graphic designer, I need electricity to make my design. Now that we depend solely on fuel to work. This increase means I now have to charge my clients more. Though It will be bad for business I don’t have an option as we speak.”

An enumerator with a Non-governmental Organization, Jeremiah Blessing, who narrated her experience said she had now adjusted to the system of breaking her morning movement by trekking halfway before boarding a tricycle.

In her words, “What I do now is to break my movement, trek to a point then take Keke from there. Since the hike in fuel prices, it has not been easy because I go to work late almost every day. Sometimes, I stand up to 10 to 30 minutes before seeing a tricycle going toward my direction because many riders have packed their tricycle due to the price increase.”

Another resident, who is a Retired customs officer, Tuja Mai Abba, said since the price increase, he had abandoned his vehicles for commercial tricycles, while noting that it saves cost, especially for a few killiometre movements.

“The government is confusing us about this issue of fuel subsidy and availability. You hear one story today and another story tomorrow. It is seriously affecting me, I have abandoned my car for a while now,” Abba said.

On his part, Daniel Omolara, a member of a Non-governmental Organization, said, “Since I brought my car down to Maiduguri, I have never for one day left it at home to go to work. But today, if I try to drive that car out, I might push the car back home. There is no money to buy the fuel at that rate. Honestly, 5,000 Naira Fuel can no longer take me a day. Where will I be getting such money from?”

Similarly, a private school teacher in D’littles International Maiduguri, Micheal Johnson, told our correspondent that he has embraced trekking and the use of bicycles because tricycle riders have increased fair prices almost double the amount before the price increase.

“My school is not too far, I went there today on my own foot. Although we haven’t resumed if it persists after after resumption. I will learn to wake up earlier,” he said

The pump price on Tuesday was increased to N855, N918, and higher per litre, with the prices varying across locations, at NNPC stations in the country.