By Praise Agbro, Lagos
Nine Ghanaians who attempted to smuggle 201 bags of Indian Hemp worth N200 million have been arrested by men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC.
The Commandant of the NSCDC in Lagos, Mr. Okoro Eweka, during a parade of the suspects said the foreigners were intercepted by the Command’s marine unit on high sea at about 2.00 a.m on Feb. 20.
He said that the substances weighed between 45kg and 50kg.
According to him, the NDLEA would conduct further tests to ascertain the appropriate weight of the exhibits after the NSCDC must have handed the substances and the suspects to it.
Though the NSCDC does not have the right on drugs, the interwoven connectivity between drug addiction and vandalisatism of government’s critical infrastructure necessitated this arrest.
“Based on the above, the Lagos command of NSCDC will hand the suspects and the 201 bags of Cannabis Sativa estimated at over N200million to the Lagos Command of the NDLEA,” Eweka said.
Eweka further stated that “The NSCDC is saddened that some citizens of a neighbouring country instead of supporting our government in Nigeria in its intensive fight against illicit drugs, chose to destroy the future of our youths.
“All the nine arrested suspects are Ghanaians and they used two big boats to convey the illegal substances from Ghana,” Eweka added.
One of the Ghanaians apprehended, Victor Muda , who spoke to NAN at the parade, said that they were given the consignments by one Mr. Peter, a Ghanaian, also.
“We just provided transportation service to Peter, we didn’t know what was inside the bags,” Muda said