Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has called for the swift investigation of the Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) scam.

Falana made this call during Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme, saying there is no better time to probe petrol scam than now.

“It is high time the importation scam was investigated. I am not talking of the joke that is going on in the National Assembly. The media must help civil society organisations to expose the fraud,” he said.

Reports suggest that the $6 billion debt owed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to petrol suppliers has exacerbated fuel scarcity in Nigeria.
The NNPCL recently acknowledged this substantial debt, admitting that it jeopardizes the stability of fuel supply.

“Once the government begins to speak about affordability and sustainability in response to growing queues at filling stations, there are problems,” Falana stated.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria criticized the government’s lack of transparency regarding petrol subsidies, noting that despite a proposed $2.9 billion investment to repair refineries, production restart dates continue to be delayed. He threatened legal action if further postponements occur. Additionally, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) reported that the high landing cost per litre of petrol has made it unfeasible for petrol marketers to import the commodity, unlike the NNPCL.