By ZAKAA LAZARUS
The Nigerian Navy has intercepted 71 kilogrammes of substances suspected to be Cannabis sativa and arrested three suspected drug traffickers during a riverine patrol along the River Niger in Kogi State.
The operation was carried out on 8 September 2026 by personnel of NNS LUGARD, following credible intelligence on the movement of an illicit drug consignment.
In a statement issued by Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, Director of Naval Information, the Navy said the suspected cannabis was concealed in the rear compartment of a large wooden commercial boat intercepted near Chintako Community Jetty in Bassa Local Government Area.
According to the statement, the suspects and the recovered consignment were handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Kogi State Command on 9 September 2026 for further investigation and prosecution.
An NDLEA representative disclosed that investigations will focus on establishing the source and ownership of the consignment, as well as identifying those behind its supply chain.
The Navy noted that the interception underscores the importance of intelligence-led maritime enforcement in disrupting the movement of illicit drugs through Nigeria’s inland waterways and in strengthening the broader fight against organised criminal activity.
