N724m Cannabis Seized, Five Suspects Arrested By NDLEA In Edo State

Operatives of the Edo State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have intercepted two articulated trucks laden with 7,245 kilograms of skunk cannabis, with an estimated street value of N724.5 million, and arrested five suspected drug traffickers.

The state commander, Mitchell Ofoyeju, disclosed this at a press briefing in Benin City on Monday, describing the seizure as a monumental operational success and the first time the command would intercept two trucks loaded with illicit substances simultaneously. The operation, which was executed on Saturday, followed seventy-two hours of intelligence gathering and surveillance.

Ofoyeju said the trucks, which were disguised as carriers of cartons of beer, were intercepted along the Auchi-Abuja Road axis. “Upon search, the trucks, ostensibly carrying cartons of beer, were found to be cleverly concealing hundreds of bags of processed weeds. A field test confirmed the substance to be skunk cannabis, a highly potent and dangerous variant,” he stated.

Giving a breakdown of the seizure, the commander explained that the first truck, with registration number OYO LUY 172 XC, contained 260 bags weighing 3,900 kilograms, while the second truck, marked OYO LUY 281 XC, carried 223 bags weighing 3,345 kilograms. The combined haul totalled 483 bags with a gross weight of 7,245 kilograms.

The suspects arrested in connection with the consignment are Ibrahim Abu, 29; Abu Abdullazeez, 28; Jibril Jaminu, 35; Andrew Moses, 22; and Ganiyu Abu, 21. All are male indigenes of Etsako East and Etsako West Local Government Areas of Edo State.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the illicit shipment originated from Sabongida-Ora in Owan West Local Government Area and was destined for the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The commander warned of the potential impact, noting that “the colossal damage it would have caused to the FCT and the entire north central, save for our intervention, is better left unimagined.”

Ofoyeju said the trucks and exhibits have been moved to the command headquarters in Benin City for further documentation and investigation, and both vehicles will be confiscated as instrumentalities of drug crime. “This successful interception is a clear message to drug barons and traffickers that Edo State is not a safe haven for criminal trade,” he asserted. He assured the public that a thorough investigation is ongoing to uncover the networks behind this large-scale trafficking and bring all parties involved to justice.