Abuja CNG Queue Dispute: Motorist Questions News Central’s Bribery Allegation

A motorist, Prince Tijani Dauda, has questioned the account presented in a News Central report concerning alleged bribery at an NNPC filling station in Zone 1, Abuja, insisting that key details of the incident he witnessed were missing.

Dauda, in a statement responding to the report published on October 9, 2026, said he was directly behind the vehicle of the driver featured in the media organisation’s interview and witnessed the disagreement that occurred at the station.

He explained that he was waiting to refill his vehicle with compressed natural gas (CNG) when military and paramilitary vehicles arrived and were allowed to move ahead of motorists already in the queue.

According to him, the driver later interviewed by News Central also requested permission to bypass the queue but was turned down by a station attendant, who reportedly explained that the priority access was for the military vehicles.

Dauda said the refusal led to an argument, after which the station attendant and other people at the scene intervened and asked the driver to leave the queue to avoid further disruption.

“I did not see anyone pay a bribe to obtain access during the incident I witnessed,” Dauda said, adding that what he observed was a disagreement over preferential access at the station.

He, however, clarified that his account covered only the events he personally witnessed and did not rule out the possibility of other transactions taking place before his arrival or at other times.

The motorist urged News Central to obtain further clarification from the station manager and other motorists present during the incident, noting that their accounts could help establish a clearer picture of what transpired.

The controversy arose after News Central published a report describing claims by a driver about alleged payments to bypass queues at the facility. Dauda’s account presents a different perspective on the specific confrontation but does not independently determine whether bribery occurred.

He also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s leadership in the recent petrol discount initiative aimed at easing fuel costs, while recognising the NNPC’s role in petroleum supply and distribution.

As of the account provided by Dauda, responses from News Central, the interviewed driver and the station’s management would be necessary to clarify the conflicting narratives surrounding the incident.