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The Joint Task Force in Tarmuwa Local Government Area of Yobe State has closed all the filling stations in Babangida, the headquarters of the local government, to prevent petroleum product getting into the hands of suspected Book Haram terrorists, who occasionally still terrorise the area.
Vanguard reports that there was an intensive checking of vehicles at Babangida, which caused heavy traffic, since the road is the only one that links Damaturu, the state capital.
A motorists that spoke to the newspaper on phone yesterday confirmed that it took up to five hours of thorough searching by the men of JTF before he could pass.
He said: “The traffic jam is too hectic. The JTF operatives were searching for fuel in most of the vehicles travelling on that road, and about 10 people that were found with more than 20 litres of petroleum product were arrested.
“We did not know the reason for the search and the subsequent arrest, but it may not be unconnected with the supply of the product to Boko Haram suspects by some unpatriotic citizens.”
Another resident said the JTF also conducted house-to-house search in the local government in search of petroleum products being supplied to the terrorists.