Civil Defence intercepts 225 jerry cans of petrol in Borno

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps(NSCDC) has seized 225 jerry cans containing 5, 625 litres of petrol from black market operators in Maiduguri, Borno.

The state Commandant of NSCDC, Mr Ibrahim Abdullahi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Sunday that the products were seized from illegal sources in different locations of the town following night raids.

He blamed the thriving activities of black market operators in Maiduguri on some filling stations which prefer to sell to them to make brisk businesses.

Abdullahi, however, said the NSCDC was bent on stopping all illegal outlets of petrol as they may turn out a source of supply to Boko Haram insurgents.

“Why we must stop their activities is the fact that we do not even know where they are taking these jerry cans of petrol to.

“ Some of these people can be hiding under the trade and be supplying Boko Haram.

“We have been sensitising them on the media against black market operations and advising them to look for other businesses to do.

“You will notice that petrol is very scarce these days in Borno; it is not because the fillings stations did not have supply but it is because they prefer to sell to black marketers who pay them very well.

“Our men are going round the town every day and night, what the filling stations do sometimes is to put off their lights so that our men will not notice their activities, “said Abdullahi.

He said the command will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that perpetrators of diversion were brought to book.

“We urge the good people of Borno to be vigilant and report to the command any suspicious activities concerning diversion of petroeum products and other acts of vandalism, “ he said.