Subsidy: We Are Suffering, Tinubu Wants To Kill Us, Commercial Drivers Lament

Commercial drivers have lamented the steep increase in the price of fuel following the removal of fuel subsidy by the Bola Tinubu administration.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) last week jerked up the price of fuel from an average of N500 to N617, with some filling stations selling as high as N700. This has led to increasing hardship for most Nigerians as the cost of living has skyrocketed, and the working class feels the pinch as they struggle to meet their daily needs.

Some commercial drivers at the popular Ikeja Underbridge who spoke with Newsbreak Nigeria on Thursday said the Bola Tinubu administration wants to kill Nigerians with suffering.

A driver, who identified himself as Ismail, said he spent N6,000 daily during the subsidy regime but with the removal, he now spends between N18,000 to N20,000 daily.

“We used to spend about 6,000 naira on fuel previously but now, we spend about 18000-20000 naira and still not make enough money.

“No, we haven’t overly increased the transport fees, it’s the same as what we used to collect from passengers before.

“We are suffering; getting arrested by traffic officials or police officers and still paying the garage fees. How much is it that we are making?

“We make about 7000 naira sometimes and still have to pay the owners of the vehicles we are using. We are suffering, there is no profit. We used to charge N300-N400 to take passengers from Egbeda to Ikeja and we are still charging the same. We are reviewing the fee at the moment,” he lamented.

Another driver, Dayo, called on President Tinubu to have mercy on Nigerians and the increase is affecting everyone.

He said, “There is no one the fuel price increase is not affecting. If a driver charges a passenger 200 naira after buying fuel for 700 naira, he will not meet up with his target minimum profit. We suggest that the government considers other alternatives like gas, which we have heard of. Tinubu should have mercy on us. Transport fees have been increased.”

A third driver, who was visibly angry, said during the election, they were not informed that things would change after.

“The increase in transport fees is because of the fuel price increase, otherwise, it would have remained the same. Fuel used to be 160 per litre but now costs 680 per litre. How much do we charge then? We cannot run at a loss as well, we are all working. We know how the country is at the moment; it has been spoiled already. We were not told this is how it would turn out during the elections.

Everything has changed since we voted. Subsidy was removed and the fuel price per litre increased to 500 naira and now, even higher. Are we headed to buying fuel for 1000 naira per litre? We, the citizens, are suffering. Do not let them kill us in this country. That is all I have to say,” he said