The Lagos State Command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) says it has arrested nine Ghanaians for smuggling about Two Hundred and One bags of Indian hemp, worth 200 million naira, into the country. Also arrested were six nationals of the Republic of Benin who were alleged to have attempted smuggling Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) from Nigeria into their country; and three others who specialized in vandalizing and stealing cables in Ikeja, Lagos.
The commandant, Mr. Okoro Eweka, in a media briefing, said the suspects smuggled the goods through the Nigeria shore with the aid of their Nigerian collaborators.
Mr. Eweka said the operation was intelligence driven, with the support of the Nigerian Navy.
Mr. Eweka said the suspects were all fishermen.
He said the major work was done by the marine unit of the NSCDC who followed an Intel for two weeks before making the suspects load a ship with the product, with the hope of smuggling it into the country, but they didn’t know that their Ghanaian counterpart had informed them and they followed up.
The Lagos State Commandant said stressed that though it was not the responsibility of the agency to prosecute drug related offenses , the arrest was informed by the need to reduce drug addiction in the country to the lowest level .
Also paraded were three young men who specialized in the vandalizing amoured cables in Ikeja, Lagos. The suspects, namely Abdul Ramah, Shina Taiwo and Sunday Amon were said to have been terrorizing the state capital for more than two years.
Six other suspects from the Benin Republic who attempted to smuggle 102 drums of 250liters suspected to be PMS from Nigeria to Benin Republic
Some of the suspects had this to say
commandant Okoro Eweka stressed that the 9 suspects from Ghana who were caught with Indian hemp had been handed over to the NDLEA while others would be charged to court
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