Troops from the 192 Battalion, 81 Division, Nigerian Army, successfully intercepted a suspected transnational drug syndicate along the Balogun border in Ogun State on Sunday.
Acting on credible intelligence, the vigilant troops discovered 296 wraps of illicit substances, believed to be Cannabis Sativa, concealed in a Sienna 2001 Model Space Bus with registration number Lagos APP 129 EF.
Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, the Director of Army Public Relations, confirmed the operation in an official statement on Sunday.
The suspects, Adigun Olatunji (54 years) and Michael Atanda (18 years), both residents of Ilara Imeko in Afun Local Government Area of Ogun State but living in Benin Republic, were taken into custody after an attempted bribery of troops with N12 million.
The investigation revealed that the illicit substance had been transported from Benin Republic through Ilara border communities en route Ifo, Ogun State.
The traffickers had spent five months concealing the marijuana for delivery to their clients.
The recovered items, including a Benin Republic National ID Card, a Nigerian National ID Card, two small Itel mobile phones, a Benin Republic driver’s license, a Benin Republic International Passport, six Benin Republic SIM packs, two Benin Republic SIM cards, a Nigerian driver’s license, and N52,700, are now in safe custody.
The suspects and seized items will be handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for prosecution.
This recent operation echoes a similar incident in July 2023 when Nigerian Army troops arrested a Beninese, Matthew Edegbe, and a Nigerian, Joshua Dansu, attempting to smuggle a truck loaded with 397 wraps of suspected marijuana into the country in Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State.
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