Just In : Troops Arrest Syndicate Supplying Fuel To Ambazonia Rebels In Cameroon For Terrorism In Taraba
According to the statement, they were apprehended during a significant covert operation which was said to have been driven by actionable intelligence and extensive surveillance by the troops.
The Nigerian Army has said its troops intercepted and apprehended eight members of a syndicate that specialised in smuggling fuel from Nigeria to the Ambazonian rebels in the Republic of Cameroon to facilitate their terrorists’ activities.
A statement on Friday by the Director Army Public Relations, Maj Gen Onyema Nwachukwu, said the suspects were arrested by troops deployed for Counter-terrorism operations along the Nigeria-Cameroon Border in Taraba State on Friday.
According to the statement, they were apprehended during a significant covert operation which was said to have been driven by actionable intelligence and extensive surveillance by the troops.
“The sting operation took place on Friday 24th May 2024 along the Abong-Kurmi Baissa Road in Taraba State, between Nigeria and Cameroon border.”
He gave the names of the suspects as identified as “Jafaru Adamu (32 years), Auwal Haruna (34 years), Umar Dahiru, Mubarak Abdullahi (20 years), Saidu Musa (26 years), Bashiru Ibrahim (18 years), Danlami Yahuaza (19 years), and Abubakar Abdullahi (19 years). They were caught enroute the border with large quantity of fuel.”
The statement indicated that during preliminary investigation, the culprits confessed to smuggling and selling fuel to the Cameroonian Ambazonian rebels, who are prohibited from entering Nigeria to purchase the product directly.
“The suspects revealed that they have previously bought fuel from Gassol and Bali Local Government Areas (LGA) at the rate of ₦950 per liter. However, they discovered that in Takum LGA the fuel was sold at ₦800 per liter, prompting them to source for the product in Takum.
“At the time of their arrest, the suspects were traveling in three J5 vehicles, carrying 605 jerry cans, each with a capacity of 40 liters, totaling 24,200 liters of fuel. The fuel, valued at ₦800 per liter, amounts to a total worth of Nineteen Million Three Hundred and Sixty Thousand Naira (₦19,360,000) only.
“Further investigation led to the identification of other members of the smuggling syndicate, including Alhaji Abdulmumini, Jafaru Adamu, Babilu Zubairu, Sule Abong, and Mark Akawu, who is reportedly the chairman of the syndicate based in Abong, a border community between Kurmi LGA of Taraba State and the Republic of Cameroon.
“This operation marks a significant step in curbing the illegal supply of resources to terrorist groups and enhancing regional security,” the statement read.
