The Katsina state police command has arrested four men alleged to be fuel suppliers to bandits in the state.
They are Zaharadeen Masudu; Ibrahim Khalid,28; Najib Dayyabu,17, and Halliru Yarima,30.
They are all from the state.
The spokesman for police command, SP Gambo Isah confirmed the development on Tuesday evening at the command’s headquarters, Katsina, where the men have paraded along with the recovered fuel.
SP Isah said the men were arrested variously at Batsari and in Dutsinma local government areas of the state following a tip-off on their activities.
He said items recovered from them included thirty-three 25 kg containers containing petrol and twenty-four empty 25 kg containers.
The Command Spokesman said,
“On 28, March 2019 and 01, April 2019, based on a tip-off, the Command succeeded in carrying out intelligence-led raids at Batsari and Dutsinma local government areas of Katsina state which led to the arrest of suspects, who specialize in sales, distribution and supply of petroleum products to bandits in these areas.’’
SP Isah said the four suspects would face prosecution after completion of investigation on their case.
The suspects, in an interview with newsmen, denied supplying fuel to bandits.
They maintained that they sell fuel to dry season farmers and could not say what happened to the fuel sold out thereafter.
The Katsina state government, had, on 14, January 2019, banned sale of petroleum products in containers in the nine frontline local government areas bordering Zamfara state, as part of measures to curtail the activities of bandits in the state(Katsina).
The frontline councils are Jibia, Safana,Batsari, Danmusa, Kankara,Dandume,Sabuwa,Dutsinma and Fasakari.
