Soldiers Arrest Two For Ferrying Petroleum Products To Boko Haram

Two persons were on Tuesday arrested when a large consignment of petroleum products they were ferrying to Boko Haram insurgents in some yet-to-be identified locations, were intercepted by soldiers manning one of the entry checkpoints to the city of Maiduguri, Borno State.
The two suspects, Muhammadu Adamu, who was the driver of the delivery truck, and the supplier of the products, Tijjani Gambo, however, feigned ignorance of the identity of their customers.

The suspects, irrespective of the outcome of investigations into the matter, had by their actions, flouted the ban on transportation of fuel in such large volume within and around the area where counter-insurgency operation is taking place, said Sani Usman, the acting director of Army Public Relations.
In a statement on Wednesday, Mr. Usman, a Colonel, said “The Quick Reinforcement Force (QRF) of 251 Battalion, 7 Div Gar on routine checks arrested a truck loaded with 25 jerry cans of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and other goods cleverly covered and concealed at Molai check point, outskirts of Maiduguri at about 8.00am on Tuesday.
“The driver of the vehicle, Muhammadu Adamu, claimed ignorance of the contents of the vehicle and called the owner of the goods, Tijjani Gambo to explain. He too denied supplying terrorists fuel and other items, rather he claimed to be a mere trader that supplies goods to customers in Damboa based on demand.
“However, preliminary investigation revealed that he has been sending PMS and other goods through the same route at regular intervals without an identifiable corresponding recipient in Damboa as alleged. Although investigations are still ongoing, it is suspected that it could be the means through which he had been supplying the terrorists with dire logistics in Sambisa forest. This is more so that there is a ban on the purchase and transportation of petrol in containers such as that within the theatre.
“Both suspects and the exhibits have been handed over to Joint Interrogation Centre for further investigations”.