The State Commander of NDLEA, Alhaji Idris Bello, who disclosed this while parading the suspects at the command’s Headquarters in Lokoja yesterday stated that 58.1 kg of weeds in 10 bags were concealed in two big bags of vegetable leaves to be taken to Abuja.
Bello explained that men of the command who were on patrol at Jamata Bridge intercepted a Volkswagen Sharon mini-bus marked ONDO: KAK 76 AE overloaded with vegetable leaves including pumpkin, Okazi and bitter leaf.
The NDLEA boss noted that the driver confirmed that they were on their way to Abuja but the NDLEA officials got suspicious and decided to search the vehicle only to discover 10 bags of cannabis neatly concealed in two big bags of vegetables.
He also disclosed that during interrogation, the driver, Musa Lawal, claimed ignorance of the content of the bags, saying the consignment belonged to one “Yellow” at Isua in Ondo State who paid him N8,000 after negotiation to deliver the goods in Abuja.
Bello also paraded another suspect, 35-year-old Afolabi Razak, who was arrested on November 30, 2014, with six bags of weeds suspected to be cannabis sativa, weighing 44.4 kg by Kabba Area Command of the agency.
Speaking in an interview with journalists, Razak, confessed that he had been dealing in the illegal business, adding he was unemployed and needed to do the business to take care of himself and that he usually purchases it from Ekiti for sale in Kabba.
Other suspects paraded are Ugochukwu Jonathan, Amaka Ogueri and Attah Jacob who all claimed ignorance of the concealed cannabis, saying that they were business people engaged in sale of moi-moi leaves and vegetables to customers in Abuja.
Bello, who frowned at all those engaged in the illegal business, urged them to leave it and look for better and legal businesses to do and called on travellers in this yuletide period not to use the occasion to indulge in illegal activities.
Bello however warned that in this yuletide period, men of the Command does not want to disturb travellers, adding that they should not use the period to perpetrate evil thinking they can just pass with illegal drugs.
He pointed out that officers will be more at alert this period and anybody caught in possession of illicit drugs would be dealt in accordance with law.
