The scarcity has forced motorists out of the streets of Ilorin, the state capital and environs while transport fares have increased by 100 per cent.

Passengers were stranded in various locations of Ilorin as only a few cabs operated yesterday as a result of the scarcity. The few cabs, it was observed, did not only increase fares but avoided long routes.

Ibrahim Ajibola, a passenger going from Tanke to Ipata market in Ilorin said he spent almost an hour on the road waiting for cabs but none was ready to take him to his destination.

Virtually all filling stations were closed yesterday while motorists had to resort to patronising the black market. Some black marketers sold a litre for N300 at the Post Office area, Maraba, Geri Alimi, and Airport among others while in some places, three litres were sold for N1000.

The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) yesterday appealed to the federal government to urgently intervene on the scarcity. State chairman of the union, Alhaji Issa Ore, said the scarcity was causing great hardship.

Ore alleged that the price of a litre of petrol had been increased by more than 200 per cent, saying the union was not out to inflict pain on the people but the government must speedily intervene to douse the current tension.