Authorities in the central province of Sofala said yesterday, Friday, that foreign owners of gas stations have left the country following accusations that some operators in this sector are involved in financing terrorism.

On the last day 22, the President of the Republic, Filipe Nyusi, denounced the existence of owners of gas stations in Sofala province who use the business for money laundering and financing terrorism in the northern province of Cabo Delgado.

"There is proliferation of fuel pumps in your province, I'm not forbidding it. But that they use legal methods [...]. We have information about people who use these means to subsidize terrorism," declared the Mozambican head of state.

Following these accusations, the secretary of state of Sofala province, Stela Pinto, said this Friday to the media that some foreign businessmen in the sector left Mozambique for unknown reasons.

"There are indications that some have escaped," Pinto stated.

She said that the authorities are investigating the reasons that led these businessmen to leave the country.

The secretary of state in Sofala province warned against the risk of generalizing suspicions of sponsoring violent extremism, noting that the President's accusations targeted some owners of gas stations and not all operators in the industry.

"There is a tendency to generalize" because gas stations pop up "so easily" and "making profits."

Most businessmen, he continued, are partners in Mozambique's social and economic development and cannot be victims of unfounded suspicion.

The issue of financing terrorism in Mozambique is gaining prominence in the country, due to the actions of armed groups associated with extremism that carry out attacks in Cabo Delgado province, north of the country.

Cabo Delgado province has been terrorized since 2017 by armed rebels, with some attacks claimed by the extremist group Islamic State.