By Tosin Olatokunbo
The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, General Buba Marwa (Rtd) has charged men and officers of the agency to be more alert while on duty, following the seizure of 40 parcels of cocaine weighing over 43 kilogrammes worth over N32 billion at the Tin can port on Monday. The substance shipped into the country from Brazil was seized by the eagle-eyed men of the agency after days of surveillance.
Marwa said, “The successes we’re recording…can only serve as a challenge to raise the bar and do more. We’ll continue to do our best to motivate the officers and men of the agency, and we expect full commitment, dedication to work and discipline in return so that we can collectively achieve the goal of ridding our nation of illicit drugs.”
According to the spokesman of the agency, Jonah Achema, who spoke to journalist on Tuesday in Abuja, the consignment containing the illicit drug was put under surveillance by operatives of the Tin Can Command of NDLEA for some days until two clearing agents showed up on Monday, February 8, 2021, to clear it. The suspects were quickly arrested, the agency said.
The NDLEA Commander at the port, Sumaila Ethan, said the consignment was brought into Nigeria from Brazil on board a vessel marked MV SPAR SCORPIO, and upon thorough search was discovered to contain the parcels of cocaine.
Ethan said, “After a thorough search, we discovered 40 compressed parcels which after laboratory investigations tested positive to cocaine. The two clearing agents have been taken into custody while we continue with the investigation.”
