he Nigerian Navy has handed over 463 bags of cannabis Sativa – marijuana worth N500 million it seized during a routine patrol to the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Lagos.
Malami Haruna, the Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT, Commodore handed over the seizure to the NDLEA’s Commander on Narcotics, Mr Isaac Uzah at NNS BEECROFT, Apapa, Lagos State.
He said that the boat ladened with the suspected contraband was intercepted during a routine sea patrol conducted by the Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service (SBS) off Lagos Fairway buoy in May.
“On sighting the patrol boat, the suspects jumped into a speed boat and sped off, though the suspects are at large, efforts are being made to apprehend them.
“However, an investigation revealed that the boat, loaded with 463 large sacks of compressed marijuana is worth more than N500 million in the local market among other items.
“The hard drugs will be handed over to the NDLEA in line with extant regulations for the arrest and handover of suspects and evidence to appropriate agencies,” he said.
The Commodore said that the prevention of large quantities of hard drugs from entering the society will reduce the drug intake that had made the youths commit crimes in the society.
“The seizure has also deprived the owners of the contraband the funds to sustain their operations,” he said.
Haruna said that the Nigerian Navy under the leadership of Vice Adm. Awwal Gambo had maintained a zero-tolerance of maritime crime and criminality.
“We will not relent in our drive to rid the nation’s maritime space of all illegalities such as drug trafficking and oil theft among others.
“I commend the patrol teams for their commitment and loyalty in living up to the assigned responsibilities of the Western Naval Command,” NNS BEECROFT Commander said.
In the same vein, the NDLEA Commander, Uzah, said the Nigerian Navy was one of the agencies of government in collaboration with the NDLEA, supporting the war against transnational crime.
Uzah, also NDLEA’s Marine Commander said that the Nigerian Navy was living up to expectations specifically with the NDLEA in spite of the numerous challenges of the maritime domain.
“In January alone, the Navy made massive arrest and seizure, handing over 529 bags of cannabis to the NDLEA and they have seized 463 bags of cannabis again.
“The Nigerian Navy has been complementing the effort of the NDLEA under the leadership of Gen. Mohammed Marwa, who has launched the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA),” he said.
The NDLEA Commander also said that the Nigerian Navy recently handed over two gun boats to the NDLEA which had increased their capabilities and enriched their understanding of the maritime environment.
“This will make us have a wide reach in the sea thereby contributing more to the arrest and seizure of contrabands in the country.
“Also, the Nigerian Navy has helped in training our personnel to man these boats as well as the communication and electronic aspect of operating in the maritime domain,” he said.
Uzah said that there was no heinous crime in the society that do not have drugs as its oxygen because most times, drugs were responsible for crimes in the society.
“So, the contribution of the Nigerian Navy in curbing the trafficking and proliferation of drugs is massive towards the reduction of crime and criminality in the society,” he said.
Also, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested no fewer than 666 suspects for alleged drug trafficking in Borno between 2021 and June 2022.
NDLEA Commander in the state, Mr Joseph Icha, made the disclosure in an interview with journalists in Maiduguri on Thursday.
Icha said that in 2021, the agency arrested 561 suspects comprising 553 males and eight females, while in the first quarter of 2022, 113 persons were arrested for various drug offences.
He explained that large quantities of drugs ranging from cannabis Sativa, Cocaine, heroin, tramadol, Rohypnol, and Diazepam among other substances, were recovered from the suspects.
Icha said one of the suspects was arrested with 10.522 kilograms of compressed cannabis Sativa concealed in a warehouse in Ungwan Doki, Maigadari ward, Maiduguri.
The NDLEA Commander said that the suspect was charged to court and granted bail, but re-arrested nine months later with 20 kilogrammes of Indian hemp.
“We charged most of them to court but at the end of the day, they are granted bail. As we speak, we have about 123 cases pending before the Federal High Court,” he said.
He said that agency had intensified the war against drug users and traffickers to safeguard the future of young Nigerians.
“We have embarked on an aggressive campaign toward ensuring drug supply and demand reduction, where we track those that are manufacturing, producing, compounding or transporting substances and making it available for sale.
“When we arrest them, we charged them to court and take them out of business.
“In the drug demand reduction campaign, we reach out to those that are at the risk of drug abuse, sensitise and educate them on the dangers while those who already into drugs, we provide them with counselling services,” he said.
Icha said that the agency had so far rehabilitated 20 drug addicts, adding that out of the number only one person relapsed after the treatment.
According to him, the command had sensitised about 33,805 persons on drug abuse education and counselling.
He added that the agency was collaborating with the Federal Neuropsychiatric hospital to treat persons with drug challenges that needed psychiatric attention.
