Lt. Commander Bitrus Zoaka, the base operations officer, spoke on behalf of the commanding officer, Navy Captain Augustus Amakiri said the base’s patrol team intercepted a shipment of suspected hard drugs around 11:33 a.m. on Tuesday, August 13.
He said this followed a reliable intelligence about a storage facility containing illegal substances believed to be cannabis sativa.
“The hard drugs were kept at a location referred to as Tenshop, near a mosque opposite Iyafin community in Badagry.
“Upon receiving the intelligence, the base quick response team led by me covertly departed the base to the general area in question.
“Intensive search of the area led to the discovery of several sacks of products suspected to be cannabis sativa.
“The adjoining communities were also searched, but no illegal products or suspects were found,” he said.
Zoaka said the handing over exercise was in line with the Harmonised Standard Procedures on Arrest, Detention and Prosecution (HSOP-AD&P) 2016.
“Recall that the Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Mustapha Bala Hassan, on November 9, 2023, launched Operation Water Guard.
“This operation is aimed at denying smugglers and other criminal elements the freedom of action within Badagry General Area in order to ensure security and economic stability in the region while fulfilling the navy’s constitutional roles.
“Accordingly, these sustained efforts of FOB Badagry are all geared towards complying with the CNS Strategic Directive 2023-6, which is to ensure a safe and secure maritime environment in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea for economic activities to strive,” he said.
Upon receiving the seized items, Ogbogoh Emmanuel, the assistant commander of narcotics at the Seme Special Command of the NDLEA, assured that an investigation would be launched into the confiscated drugs.
He praised the Nigerian Navy for their significant seizure and promised that those responsible for the illegal drugs would face justice.
NAN had reported that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has made a significant seizure of illicit drugs at three courier firms in Lagos State.
The agency intercepted consignments of cocaine and pharmaceutical opioids hidden in ladies’ sanitary pads, hair treatment cream containers, and food items, destined for the United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, and South Africa.
A statement by the Director, Media and Advocacy of the NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi on Sunday said, in one of the logistics companies, not less than 30 parcels of cocaine weighing 1.1 kilograms were concealed in hair cream containers were recovered by NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) during examination of cargoes going to Ireland on 3rd September 2024.
(NAN)
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