Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Aminu Abubakar, a 25-year-old male, who was intercepted with 59kg of cannabis Sativa (Indian Hemp) by officials of Nigeria Customs Service Zone ‘B’ has confessed that he was hired by a friend to transport bags of the substance to some villages in the North.
The zone, which comprises the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC) Strike force, handed over the suspect to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)
Customs officials, while on a routine check, apprehended Abubakar with 59kg of Indian Hemp, which was later handed over to officials of NDLEA in Kaduna
NDLEA Assistant Controller (Narcotic) Posalmwang Jangdul expressed gratitude to the Customs Service, saying that Customs had always been a reliable partner of NDLEA in combating drug-related crimes.
Earlier, while performing the handing over exercise at the headquarters of the zone in Kaduna, Assistant Comptroller Mohammed Salisu Shuaibu on behalf of the Coordinator CGC Strike Force said the exercise was in line with the federal government policy on inter-agency synergy for onslaught and
impact on smugglers.
He said: ” A team of our officers acting on intelligence intercepted a Volkswagen Golf 3 with Reg. no. ABC 45 LP laden with 5 bags of substances suspected to be Cannabis Sativa (Indian hemp) driven by one Mr Abubakar Aminu at Kwana Agishi village Giwa LGA of Kaduna State on his way to Batsari in Katsina State on the 8th April 2020.
“On interrogation, Mr Abubakar Aminu affirmed that he was hired by one Dan Maliki who jumped into the bush on sighting the officers. Abubakar also revealed that it was his third (3) time being chartered to carry Indian hemp; first to Dayye and second to Dan Dume villages.
“The 5 (five) bags weighing 59kg are hereby handed over to the officials of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in line with our inter-agency cooperation in suppressing the menace of incessant drugs infiltration and proliferation in the country and its dire consequential effects on the general populace most especially the youths.
“It’s worth noting that Inter-agency collaboration plays a pivotal role in our fight against smuggling and smuggled goods bearing in mind the porosity and the vast landmass of the northern axis which is better known by the evil-minded smugglers than a few officers mandated to man and checkmate the numerous chain smugglers whose movement are craftily oscillatory or zigzag to conceal their paths.”