Navy nabs 3 with suspected cannabis in Kogi

The Nigerian Navy has arrested three persons with 71 kilogrammes of substances suspected to be cannabis along the River Niger in Kogi State.

The arrest was made by personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Lugard during an operation under Operation Accord 3.

The Acting Executive Officer of NNS Lugard, Commander Christian Ottah, disclosed this while handing over the suspects to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Lokoja.

Ottah, represented by the Commander of NNS Lugard, Commander Adesola Ojo, said the boat conveying the suspects was intercepted on September 8 following credible intelligence.

He explained that the naval patrol team intercepted the boat at about 4:30 p.m. and escorted it to the NNS Lugard jetty, where the suspects and recovered exhibits were taken to the base for further action.

“The operation demonstrated the importance of timely intelligence and inter-agency collaboration in combating drug trafficking and other maritime crimes,” Ottah said.

He urged riverine communities, boat operators and other waterway users to promptly report suspicious activities to security agencies for appropriate action.

The commander stressed that NNS Lugard would continue to collaborate with the NDLEA and other security agencies to strengthen surveillance, information sharing and response to security threats.

Responding, the Kogi State Commander of NDLEA, Mr. Umar Yahuza, represented by the Commander of Narcotics, Mr. Tuki Andeshak, said the agency would conduct a thorough investigation to determine the source of the suspected illicit drug.

He said the agency would strive to identify the owner of the consignment, trace the supplier and apprehend those responsible.

The briefing ended with the official handover of the three suspects and the recovered 71kg of suspected cannabis to the NDLEA for further investigation and legal action.