The Edo State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency stopped two articulated trucks carrying 7,245 kilograms of skunk cannabis, which has an estimated street value of N724.5 million. They also arrested five people who they think are drug traffickers.
Mitchell Ofoyeju, the state commander, told reporters in Benin City on Monday that the seizure was a huge operational achievement and the first time the command had ever stopped two trucks full of illegal drugs at the same time. The operation took place on Saturday after 72 hours of gathering information and watching.
Ofoyeju stated that the trucks, which were pretending to be carrying boxes of alcohol, were stopped along the Auchi-Abuja Road. “After searching, it was found that the trucks, which were supposed to be carrying boxes of beer, were actually hiding hundreds of bags of processed weeds.” He said, “A field test showed that the substance was skunk cannabis, a very strong and dangerous type.”
The commander gave a detailed account of the seizure, saying that the first vehicle, with the license plate OYO LUY 172 XC, had 260 bags that weighed 3,900 kilograms, while the second truck, with the license plate OYO LUY 281 XC, had 223 bags that weighed 3,345 kilograms. There were 483 bags in total, and they weighed 7,245 kg.
Ibrahim Abu, 29; Abu Abdullazeez, 28; Jibril Jaminu, 35; Andrew Moses, 22; and Ganiyu Abu, 21, are the people who were arrested in connection with the shipment. All of them are males from the Etsako East and Etsako West Local Government Areas of Edo State.
Early investigations showed that the illegal shipment came from Sabongida-Ora in the Owan West Local Government Area and was headed to Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory. The commander warned of the possible effects, saying, “The huge damage it would have done to the FCT and the whole north central, if we hadn’t stepped in, is better left unimagined.”
Ofoyeju added that the trucks and exhibits have been brought to the command headquarters in Benin City for more paperwork and investigation. Both vehicles would be taken away because they were used in narcotics crimes.
He said, “This successful interception sends a clear message to drug barons and traffickers that Edo State is not a safe place for criminal trade.” He told the public that a full investigation is still going on to find the people and groups behind this large-scale trafficking and bring them all to justice.
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