Fire razes illegal fuel storage facility in Yola

An illegal fuel depot in Yola, the capital of Adamawa State, was destroyed by fire. The depot, which is close to the well-known Roundabout Maidoki crossroads, is located close to the Jimeta entrance gate of Yola International Airport.

Witnesses said that the fire started at 6:30 p.m. and that it destroyed an unknown quantity of gasoline that was supposedly bought and stored at the depot by a prominent drug dealer.

Along with the depot and its contents, the huge fire also burned surrounding parked cars.

The fire burned late into the night and was visible to Yola residents from a distance of several kilometers. The incident involving the fuel store took place during a period of severe fuel shortages in the area surrounding Adamawa State, which were accompanied by rising prices and a growth in the illicit market.

As of Wednesday morning, Yola’s few filling stations that did have petrol were charging at least N300 per liter, while black market sellers were asking for N1,700 to N2,000 for a 4-liter gallon of the substance.