The Nigeria Police has disclosed that four suspects have been arrested over supply of petroleum products to bandits in the northwest. The Police noted that the supply has long been tagged illicit trade after the ban on the sale of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), – petrol – in jerry cans across the eight front line security prone local government areas of Katsina State,
The Katsina State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Superintendent Gambo Isah, said that the arrest is part of the security operations to curb the menace of banditry and kidnapping in the Katsina and other states in the Sahara border towns.
According to the Police, the arrested suspects include managers of different petrol stations – Zaharadeen Mas’udu of Unguwar Alkali quarters, 28-year old Ibrahim Khalid of Sabon Gida quarters, both in the metropolis, 17-year old Najib Dayyabu of Unguwar Sarki from Batsari local government area and 30-year old Haliru Yarima from Unguwar Yarima quarters of Dutsinma local government area.
The Police PRO, Gambo Isah, noted that it is in line with the ban on the sale of petrol in jerry cans in the eight front line security prone local government areas by the state government in January 2019.
Two of the suspects, Haliru Yarima and Najib Dayyabu, both denied the allegations of selling the product to bandits, they rather said they sell to dry season farmers in the remote villages and see nothing wrong with their actions.
Isah said, all the suspects from who the Police recovered 33 jerry cans of petrol and 24 empty jerry cans will be charged to court on completion of investigations.