A charcoal dealer, identified as Markus Bala, has been arrested by soldiers for allegedly conveying foodstuffs, drugs, Indian hemp, cartons of cigarettes and wines to bandits at their hideouts in Bishini in Kachia LGA of Kaduna state.

A community leader from the area who preferred anonymity for security reasons confirmed the arrest to our reporter through telephone on Monday.

He said the suspect was arrested on Saturday by the soldiers stationed at Bishini junction after receiving intelligence information.

He said the suspect who hired a pick-up van to carry charcoal at a forest in the area, was apprehended alongside the driver.

According to him, the suspect, who produces charcoal near a bandits' camp in the area always goes on errands for them.

He said, "You know the soldiers already got intelligent information about the man who produces charcoal around Bishini forest that he always buys things such as foodstuffs, Indian hemp and drugs to bandits especially whenever he is going with pickup to load charcoal at the forest."

Recall that a community leader in the area has recently disclosed that 75 percent of charcoal producers were bandits' informants and also ran errands for them as a condition before they were allowed to produce charcoal in the forest in the area.

The spokesman of the Kaduna state police command, ASP Hassan Mansur, could not be reached for a reaction to the arrest.