NSCDC nabs 2 over petrol supply to bandits

The anti-vandalism unit of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Sokoto State command, has arrested two persons accused of supplying petrol to bandits.

The assistant commandant in charge of the unit, Aminu Maijiegi, said the two were arrested around 2:30am on Friday at Anasiyya and Sons Filling Station, More area in Sokoto North Local Government Area, with over 100 jerry-cans filled with petrol.

He said, “We received an intelligent report that the filling station was selling petrol in jerrycans in the middle of the night, in violation of the executive order banning such practice.

“They usually switch off every light so that nobody would suspect any bad thing happening there.

“After gathering our intelligence, I led my team to the site. We took cover for an hour before raiding the place.

“They had already filled over 100 jerry-cans with petrol at the time of our raid. The filled jerrycans and several empty ones, as well as the vehicle waiting to transport the product to bandits in the eastern part of the state, were recovered.

“We were also able to arrest two suspects, Jabir Abubakar, 23, of Bazza area, and Isiya Abubakar, 38, of Kofar Marke area, all in Sokoto North, while Malam Mustapha of Konnawa area in Dange Shuni Local Government is still at large.”

He said the suspects confessed that they were taking the product to Illela, which is one of the areas experiencing bandits’ attacks in the eastern part of the state.

Daily Trust Saturday reports that Governor Aminu Tambuwal banned the sale of petrol in jerrycans and shut cattle markets, among other measures to curb banditry in the affected areas of the state.