The Lagos Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on Monday paraded nine Ghanaians who attempted to smuggle 201 bags of Cannabis Sativa, worth N200 million into Nigeria.
The Commandant of the NSCDC in Lagos, Mr Okoro Eweka, at the parade in Lagos said that the foreigners were intercepted by the command’s marine unit on high sea at about 2.00 a.m on Feb. 20.
He said that the substances weighed between 45kg and 50 kg.
The commandant told newsmen that the NDLEA would conduct further tests to ascertain the appropriate weight of the exhibits after the NSCDC must have handed the substances and the suspects to it.
Read Also: Police right to stop unmarried female personnel from getting pregnant – Court tells NBA
“Though the NSCDC does not have the right on drugs, the interwoven connectivity between drug addiction and vandalisatism of government’s critical Infrastructure necessitated this arrest.
“Based on the above, theLagos command of NSCDC will hand the the suspects and the 201 bags of Cannabis Sativa estimated at over N200million to the Lagos Command of the NDLEA,” Eweka said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the men and the officers of the NDLEA from the Lagos state command headed by Assistant Commander of Narcotics (ACN) Mr Ighekfe Ojojoh were on ground during the parade of the suspects.
Eweka, who said he was not happy at what he observed there added that what happened should be of great concern that some citizens from a neighboring country, rather than appreciating the Federal Government of Nigeria, wanted to destroy the future of Nigerian youths through addiction to drug.
“The NSCDC is saddened that some citizens of a neighbouring country instead of supporting our Government in Nigeria on its intensive fight against illicit drugs choose to destroy the future of our youths.
“All the nine arrested carriers are Ghanaians and they used two big boats to convey the illegal substances from Ghana,” Eweka said.
Eweka said the arrest was dedicated to the good performance of the current chairman of the NDLEA, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa.
He said that the Commandant – General (CG) of NSCDC, Ahmed Audi’s recent visit to the NDLEA’s chairman centered on how they could both develop good synergy.
“This is the aftermath of the robust synergy that the CG wanted as the slogan of the corps remained: “We do good to good people and bad to bad people,” Eweka said.
Eweka said the arrest was also dedicated to the NSCDC CG and the Lagos – state Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo – Olu.
One of the Ghanaians apprehended, Victor Muda, who spoke to NAN at the parade said that they were given the consignments by one Mr Peter, a Ghanaian, also.
“We just provided transportation service to Peter, we didn’t know what was inside the bags,” Muda said. (NAN)