Army intercept transnational drug syndicate, arrest two suspects in Ogun

Troops from the 192 Battalion, 81 Division, Nigerian Army, have intercepted a suspected transnational drug syndicate along the Balogun border in Ogun State.

The troops, who acted on credible intelligence, discovered 296 wraps of illicit substances, believed to be cannabis sativa, concealed in a Sienna 2001 Model Space Bus with registration number: Lagos APP 129 EF.

Director of Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, who confirmed the operation in a statement, said two suspects were arrested.

The suspects are: Adigun Olatunji, 54, and Michael Atanda, 18, both indigenes of Ilara Imeko, in Afun Local Council of Ogun State but living in Benin Republic.

According to the Army spokesperson, they were taken into custody after attempting to bribe the troops with N12 million.

He said investigation revealed that the illicit substance had been transported from Benin Republic through Ilara border communities, en route Ifo, Ogun State.

He said: “The traffickers whose stock-in-trade is moving drugs from one country to another had spent five months concealing the marijuana for delivery to their clients.

“Recovered items, including a Benin Republic national identity card, a Nigerian national ID card, two small Itel mobile phones, a Benin Republic driver’s licence, a Benin Republic international passport, six Benin Republic Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) packs, two Benin Republic SIM cards, a Nigerian driver’s licence, and N52,700, are now in safe custody.

“The suspects and the seized items will be handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for prosecution.”

Recall that in July 2023, Nigerian Army troops also arrested a Beninese, Matthew Edegbe, and a Nigerian, Joshua Dansu, who were attempting to smuggle a truck loaded with 397 wraps of suspected marijuana into the country, in Yewa South Local Council of Ogun State.