The police in Katsina, have arrested a 32-year-old Niger Republic national, Lawal Shu’aibu and four other Nigerians who allegedly supply fuel to armed bandits in a forest in Katsina state.
According to the police, the suspects were arrested on Saturday, September 18, while conveying fuel in a Volkswagen Passat car with Reg. No. XML 347 AA to the bandits’ hideout.
The spokesperson of Katsina State police command, Gambo Isah, also explained gave the identity of the four others. They are; Sani Lawal, 28, of Magamar Jibia was arrested for conveying fuel in a Volkswagen Passat car with registration No. KMC 198 XB; while Abdulrashid Garba, 50, of Daddara village, Jibia LGA, was arrested for conveying fuel in his Volkswagen Golf III wagon with registration No. AR 719 KTN.
The other suspect is 57-year-old Tigal Haruna of Kofar Guga Quarters, Katsina.
The police spokesman said about the third suspect: “He was conveying fuel in his Passat motor vehicle with registration number FC 977 LKJ. Nemesis caught up with the suspects when they were arrested along Katsina – Jibia road while on their way into the forest.
The fourth suspect is Shafi’u Haruna, 25, of Anguwan Nakaba village in Sabuwa LGA of Katsina State. The police said the suspect was observed to be frequently buying fuel at a filling station in Dandume in his motorcycle.
The police spokesman explained: “Consequently, police detectives on surveillance patrol at the said filling station secretly followed after him which led them into an uncompleted building where he was arrested while transferring the fuel into a jerry can.
“In the course of the investigation, the suspect confessed to the commission of the offence and further stated that he came all the way from Sabuwa LGA to buy the fuel and take it to the forest.”