Navy Arrests Three, Recovers 71kg of Suspected Cannabis on River Niger

The Nigerian Navy has arrested three suspected drug traffickers and intercepted 71 kilogrammes of a substance suspected to be Cannabis sativa during a riverine patrol along the River Niger in Kogi State.
This was disclosed in an operational report by the Director of Naval Information, Capt. Abiodun Folorunsho, on Thursday in Abuja.                 

According to Folorunsho, the suspects were apprehended on Tuesday by personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Lugard, acting on credible intelligence regarding the movement of an illicit drug consignment. "The suspected cannabis was concealed in the rear compartment of a large wooden commercial boat intercepted near Chintako Community Jetty in Bassa Local Government Area," he said.

He disclosed that the suspects, along with the recovered consignment, were subsequently handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Kogi State Command, on Wednesday for further investigation and prosecution. According to the naval spokesman, an NDLEA representative confirmed that investigations would focus on establishing the source and ownership of the consignment, as well as identifying those responsible for its supply.

Folorunsho said the interception underscores the importance of intelligence-led maritime enforcement in disrupting the movement of illicit drugs through Nigeria's inland waterways, describing the operation as a step forward in the broader fight against organised criminal activity.