Navy arrests three suspected drug traffickers on River Niger
The Nigerian Navy has apprehended three individuals suspected of drug trafficking and seized 71 kilograms of a substance believed to be Cannabis sativa during a patrol along the River Niger in Kogi State.
The information was detailed in an operational report released Thursday by Capt. Abiodun Folorunsho, the Director of Naval Information, in Abuja.
Folorunsho reported that the three suspects were taken into custody on Tuesday by personnel from the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Lugard, following credible intelligence regarding the transport of an illicit drug shipment.
The suspected cannabis was found concealed in the rear compartment of a large wooden commercial boat, which was intercepted near the Chintako Community Jetty in the Bassa Local Government Area.
According to Folorunsho, the suspects and the seized substance were handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation and prosecution on Wednesday.
A representative from the NDLEA indicated that the inquiry would aim to identify the source and ownership of the consignment, as well as those responsible for its distribution.
Folorunsho emphasized that the interception underscores the significance of intelligence-driven maritime enforcement in curbing the trafficking of illicit drugs through Nigeria’s inland waterways. He added that such operations are vital to bolstering the broader effort against organized crime.
