Operatives of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Lugard have intercepted a wooden boat carrying 71 kilogrammes of suspected cannabis along the River Niger in Kogi State and arrested three persons in connection with the consignment.
The suspects and the recovered exhibits were formally handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Lokoja on Wednesday for further investigation and prosecution.
The Acting Executive Officer of NNS Lugard, Commander Christian Ottah, disclosed the development during the handover ceremony. He was represented by the Commander of NNS Lugard, Commander Adesola Ojo.
Ottah said the interception followed actionable intelligence received by the naval authorities, adding that the patrol team stopped the wooden boat at about 4:30 p.m. on 8 September.
According to him, the boat was subsequently escorted to the NNS Lugard jetty, where the suspects and exhibits were secured before being transferred to the NDLEA.
He stressed that the operation underscored the importance of intelligence sharing and collaboration among security agencies in tackling drug trafficking and other forms of criminality along the nation’s waterways.
Ottah said the Navy would continue to work closely with the NDLEA and other sister agencies to improve surveillance, intelligence gathering and rapid response to security threats.
He also urged residents of riverine communities, boat operators and other waterway users to report suspicious movements and activities to security agencies.
The Acting Executive Officer reiterated the Navy’s commitment to protecting lives, property and critical national infrastructure, while stressing that the three suspects should be presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.
Receiving the suspects and the suspected cannabis, the Kogi State Commander of the NDLEA, Mr Umar Yahuza, represented by the Commander of Narcotics, Mr Tuki Andeshak, said the agency would commence a comprehensive investigation into the seizure.
Yahuza said the investigation would focus on determining the source of the suspected illicit drugs, identifying the owner of the consignment and tracing the suppliers involved in the alleged trafficking operation.
The handover was concluded with the signing of the relevant documents and the formal transfer of the three suspects and the 71-kilogramme consignment to the NDLEA for further investigation and possible prosecution.