The Nigerian Army on Tuesday in Abuja handed over 124 bags of suspected Indian hemp (Cannabis) it seized from separate operations to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Lt.-Col. Adeyinka Aderanti, Commanding Officer in the Public Relations Unit, Gen. Agui Ironsi Cantonment Abuja, also handed over a suspect to the agency.
Aderanti told newsmen that the bags of cannabis were seized at a military check point at Abaji on the Abuja-Lokoja expressway on March 31.
He said 31 of the bags were seized from a J5 bus with registration number, XB 572 BLD by troops conducting check on vehicles at Abaji.
Aderanti said that the other 93 were seized from another J5 bus with registration number, XH 572 NSR.
According to him, the first bus jumped a queue to beat the check point and in the process, almost knocked down one of the soldiers.
“The reserve troops pursued the vehicle and seeing that there was no escape route, the driver and other occupants abandoned it on the middle of the road and ran into a nearby bush.
“The soldiers combed the bus but all efforts to arrest the culprits failed,’’ he said.
He said that when the second bus was flagged down and searched, it was discovered that it was conveying bags of the weeds, adding that the bags were covered with plantain.
Aderanti said that the driver of the second bus, who was arrested by the troops, claimed ignorance of the items he was conveying.
“He claimed that the owner of the goods was waiting for him somewhere along Abaji-Abuja to receive the items.
“All efforts made to lure the other culprits and get them arrested did not yield any positive result.’’
He said preliminary investigation showed that the items were meant for Zaria and Abuja.
The driver, who spoke through an interpreter, said that he brought the items from Edo, claiming that that he did not know the content of the bags.
Mr. Peter Adegbe, the Public Relations Officer of the FCT Command of the NDLEA, who received the weeds, estimated each bag at N100,000.
Adegbe said that when they were taken up north and across the border of the country, a bag could be sold for between N150,000 and N200,000.
He commended the army for partnering with the agency in the fight against drug trafficking and abuse.
The NDLEA spokesman assured that the agency would begin investigation into the seizure, to prosecute the suspect.
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