The Nigerian Navy Ship Lugard, Lokoja, apprehended a retired soldier and a civilian with a substance weighing over 400kg, believed to be Cannabis Sativa (Indian hemp), along the Ajaokuta – Lokoja Road in Kogi State.
The two individuals, a retired Corporal in the Army named Denis Foukorighe and Paul Obor, both hailing from Benue State, were apprehended along with the illicit substance. The substance, suspected to be Cannabis Sativa (Indian hemp), along with the suspects, was handed over to officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency on Friday in Lokoja, the capital of Kogi State.
The Commander of NNS Lugard Lokoja, Commodore Ugochukwu Ajulu, disclosed during the suspects’ parade that they had loaded the substance into a Honda Accord saloon car. The car was transporting the items from Edo State to an undisclosed location in Area 1, Garki, Abuja, for commercial purposes.
He added that the arrest took place on Tuesday during the Navy’s routine checks along the Ajaokuta – Lokoja Road.
Ajulu said, “We are here at NNS Lugard Lokoja to hand over the two culprits and the illicit substances weighing over 400Kg including a Honda salon car to NDLEA officials for onward prosecution in the law court.”
While advising all security checkpoints in the state to be vigilant regarding individuals transporting illicit substances through the state to other locations across the country, Ajulu emphasized that the Naval checkpoints in Kogi have been actively fulfilling their mandate under the directives of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla. He highlighted that this mandate has already yielded positive outcomes with the interception of illicit drugs on Tuesday.
Ajulu encouraged Nigerian youths to pursue lawful businesses that offer legitimate livelihoods instead of engaging in unlawful activities that could lead to imprisonment.
The Officer-in-charge of Strike Force NDLEA, Kogi State Command, Superintendent of Narcotics, Olorunfemi Abolarinwa, who received the two suspects on behalf of the agency, stated that a thorough investigation would be conducted before they face prosecution in the court of law. This, he mentioned, is essential to serve as a deterrent to others.
“It is evidently clear that anywhere there are illicit drugs, there are series of crimes being perpetrated. As an agency in the fight against illicit drugs, we will continue to sensitise the citizens on the need to do away with dealing in all prohibited drugs because of their adverse effects on people” Abolarinwa stated.