The Ooye of Iwoye Ketu, a border community in Ogun State, Oba Joel Alaye, has lamented petrol scarcity in the area following partial closure of the border by the Federal Government.
In a statement yesterday, the monarch said that petrol was selling at N350 per litre at the border communities, a development he blamed on overzealous officers of the Joint Security Task Force (JTF).
Oba Alaye said that prevention of tankers from supplying fuel to Iwoye-Ketu, Idofa, Ilara, Oke Agbede, Moriwi and Wasinmi Okuta, all border communities, had been creating hardship for the residents.
The monarch, who noted that the development compounded the woes of the residents, who were still battling with the reported seizure of tomatoes, yam and other perishable goods by the task force.
He called on the Federal Government to quickly intervene to allow his people do their legitimate businesses smoothly.
Said he: “My attention has been drawn to a statement credited to President Muhammadu Buhari, while responding to his Republic of Benin counterpart’s request, that partial closure of land borders was due to the smuggling of rice into the country.
“With the statement, how come the joint security task force now creates hardship for the people of Iwoye-Ketu, Idofa, Ilara, Oke Agbede, Moriwi and Wasinmi Okuta by not allowing fuel tankers to reach these communities.
“As at today (Monday), a litre of petrol is N350 due to the overzealousness of the task force creating unwarranted hardship for my people.”
GUARDIAN
