Benue State Action Committee on COVID-19 has intercepted an oil tanker carrying Almajiris and motorbikes.
Mr. Bemgba Iortyom, member (Risk Communication Pillar), Benue COVID-19 Committee reported that the tanker was intercepted, Sunday afternoon, at Agan area of Makurdi local government area of the state, by a security taskforce of the committee.
According to him, the tanker which was not carrying any consignment of oil was found with 11 motorcycles strapped to its body while seven persons suspected to be destitutes known as Almajiris were found stowed in its passenger hold.
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“The driver of the tanker had claimed that he is on his way to Lagos to load oil and only picked up the suspected Almajiris as passengers in Nasarawa State to be dropped in Edo State.
“Officials of the Taskforce, however, reminded him that he was acting in violation of the federal ban on inter-state travel by conveying non-essential goods as well as illegal passengers.
Mr. Iortyom said the state’s Deputy Governor and the COVID-19 Committee Chairman, Mr. Benson Abounu, ordered that the tanker and it’s illegal cargo be turned back from the state to Nasarawa State where it came from.
