From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has uncovered a warehouse filled with cannabis sativa in the suburb of Guma Local Government Area, Benue State.
This was even as the NDLEA intercepted a truckload of the same illicit drug in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
The NDLEA, in a statement issued in Abuja, recalled the arrest last week of seven drug barons operating four large warehouses in Ukpuje forest, in Owan Local Government Area, Edo State.
The estimated street value of the seized illicit drug, which was put at over N1.4 billion, consist of 16,344 bags of cannabis and seeds weighing 233, 778 kilograms seized, in addition to two pump action and one double barrel guns found in their custody.
Giving a breakdown of the Benue drug seizure while briefing the Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), the Benue State Commander of the NDLEA, Mrs Florence Ezeonye, said that the total number of bags of cannabis seized during the operation weighed 1,578 kilograms.
Ezeonye said: “Operatives of the NDLEA, Benue State Command, intercepted in Makurdi, an empty trailer from Awka, Anambra State, heading to Lafia, Nasarawa State, but when properly searched, 600 blocks of compressed cannabis sativa weighing 600kg were discovered in a compartment constructed under the flat belly of the truck. The mode of concealment was first of its kind.”
Ezeonye revealed that “another seizure was made when our men stormed a warehouse filled with drugs harvested by some farmers at the suburb of Guma LGA by 3:00a.m. The total number of the illicit drug evacuated from the warehouse weighs 978kg. The drug dealers shot at my men on sighting them, but their attack was repelled and as such, we did not record any casualty.”