Troops of 192 Battalion, 81 Division, Nigerian Army, have arrested members of a suspected transnational drug syndicate and confiscated 296 wraps of illicit substances suspected to be Cannabis Sativa in Ogun State.
A statement signed by Director, Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, and made available to newsmen, said the suspects were intercepted,
based on credible intelligence, on Sunday, January 14, 2024, along Balogun border in Ogun State, in a Sienna 2001 Model Space Bus, with registration number, Lagos APP 129 EF, loaded with the illicit substances.
He explained that the vigilant troops conducted a thorough search on the vehicle and detected layers of compartments packed with 296 wraps of substance suspected to be marijuana.
According to the statement: “Preliminary investigation revealed that the wraps of illicit substance were transported from Benin Republic, through Ilara border communities en route Ifo, Ogun State.
” It was further revealed that it took the transnational drug traffickers five months to conceal the substance for delivery to their clients. Two suspects were arrested in connection to the crime.
“The suspects, identified as one Mr Adigun Olatunji, 54, and Mr Michael Atanda, 18, both from Ilara Imeko in Afun LGA of Ogun State, but reside in Benin Republic, have been taken into custody for further necessary actions after a failed attempt to bribe troops with twelve million naira. ”
Items recovered from the suspects include one Benin Republic national ID card, one Nigerian national ID card and two Itel mobile phones. Others include one Benin Republic driver's licence, a Benin Republic International Passport, six Benin Republic SIM packs, two Benin Republic SIM cards, one Nigerian driver's licence, one power bank and one MP3 player.
Furthermore, a memory card, local charms, as well as the sum of N52,700 were recovered from the suspects.
“The suspects and all the items recovered are in safe custody, pending handover to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for prosecution, ” The statement added.
DAILY POST recalls that troops of the battalion have, in recent times, recorded a huge breakthrough that led to the confiscation of a large cache of ammunition and illicit substances across the Nigerian and Benin Republic border on November 12, 2023.
