The Kogi Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has arrested nine suspected hard drug peddlers and dealers in the last four weeks.
The Commandant, Mr Idris Bello, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lokoja that the command also seized 1,020.1 kilogrammes of cannabis sativa (Indian hemp) from the suspects.
Giving a breakdown of the arrests, Bello said that four suspects were arrested on Tuesday at Crusher Village along Okene-Lokoja-Abuja.
“One of those arrested, Maharazu Mohammed had, had 147 blocks of packed Indian hemp, weighing 199.2 kilogrammes, hidden in sheets of rough cartons.
“From Mohammed’s account, the consignment was to be delivered to one Dan Hutu of Hotoro quarters in Kano,” he said.
He said that another suspect, Philip Dangla, 32, who hails from Plateau, had 37.2 kilogrammes of the substance which he was taking to Zaria.
According to him, the driver of the vehicle, Sanusi Sani and the conductor, Abdullahi Mohammed, were equally arrested.
Bello further said that another suspect, Stanley Duru, 44, from Orlu in Imo, was arrested on March 20, with 421 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 377.8 kilogrammes.
The commandant said that the hard drug was concealed in false compartments constructed in a Volkswagen Combi bus.
He alleged that the suspect, who was intercepted at Crusher village in Lokoja, loaded the hard drug in the vehicle at Otua town in Edo.
Bello added that the driver, Femi Ojabo, 27, from Isua in Ondo State, also stashed 377.8 kilogrammes of Indian hemp in the vehicle.
He gave the names of other suspects as Haruna Salihu, 30, who was arrested with 14.4 kilogrammes, and Abubakar Sunday, a 31-year-old civil servant, who was nabbed with 13.5 kilogrammes of the substance.
The NDLEA boss appealed to members of the public to assist the command with relevant information that could lead to the arrest of drug peddlers and dealers, and vowed to rid Kogi of illicit drugs and its dealers.
– NAN
