The Lagos State Commandant of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, says its Marine unit on Sunday arrested nine Ghanians who couriered 201 bags of Cannibalis Sativa into the Nigeria.
Briefing journalists on Monday at the Lagos State Command, Commandant Douglas Edenabu Okoro Eweka said the exhibit seized from the suspects is worth N200,000,000 in street value.
The agency’s latest arrests and exhibits according to Commandant Eweka followed intelligence driven efforts and good synergy between the agency and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.
Speaking about the suspects, the NSCDC boss said, “It is of great concern that citizens from neighbouring country rather than appreciate Nigerian Government for their great support choose to help destroy our youth’s future, all the nine (9) arrested courier of this contraband goods are all Ghanians.”
“As far as the Corps is concerned, we will not relent in making them pay for their evil work as they will be made to face the music they are playing.”
One of the suspects, Moses Sottie, who said he is a fisherman, told CASEFILE in an interview that he is from Greater Accra region in Ghana.
When asked why he was arrested, the suspect said: “Because some man called that we should carry some sacks, some loads for him.”
He narrated that a business man named Robert in Nigeria, whose surname is unknown contracted some fishermen in Ghana to carry some loads to Nigeria for him.
He said as they were coming into Nigeria waterways the weather became unclear.
While journeying on the sea, Sottie said, “Our petrol and our food finished and the boat was about sinking.”
He added that he got to know a certain Robert who is a business man barely two weeks from the day of his arrest, a day he and his co-fishermen went fishing.
Queried on why he accepted to convey the goods when he barely knew the business man, the suspect claimed, “There was a middle man known as Piorga who contacted us.
He said that the middleman is now on the run.
Sharing his predicament, 30-years-old Victor Wuddah, from Ada Foah, Ghana also narrated how he was arrested in connection with the ‘illicit drug’ they were transporting to Nigeria.
Expressing regrets, “I was arrested because of this thing, (pointing to the exhibits) I don’t know what is inside. I only know fishing work. People know me as fisherman. If I knew that something bad is inside the bags, I will not come.
”The father of four and a married man explained that there was a middle man named Piorga who told them that they should not open the sacks, ‘that if we open the owner would be angry’.”
He said, “I don’t know what is inside because they packed all before they came to call us, they’ve put everything inside, so we don’t know.
“The person that came to call us is not among us here, I think he is a Ghanian. His name is Cerobate, I don’t know his surname because we are from different place.
“That very day, he came to call us but I know him but he is not even the one who came to call us. He led us to one Piogar, he is also a Ghanian,” he said.
While Addo Teete, 31 said that he is from Nugo, Accra side.
Telling his side of the story, the suspect said, “They have packed everything before they came to call us, but as we were coming the weather changed, fuel and food finished before day break.
“So, we don’t know what is inside the sacks, “We don’t know what we were bringing, so we are still begging.”
When asked where they were heading with the sacks, he replied, “They told us to come to Benin because of the weather.”
Meanwhile six Beniniese who alledgedly attempted to smuggle a 102 pieces of 250 litres capacity drum of suspected PMS from Nigeria to Republic of Benin who had earlier been arrested by the civil defence corps in late December, the Commandant informed newsmen that they have been investigated and are awaiting arraignment in court.
Also arrested were three suspected vandals.
They were arrested in connection with vandalising cables exposed due to construction works at WEMPCO and ACME area of Lagos State.
Meanwhile an an officer of the NDLEA was on hand to receive the seized drug for further investigation and prosecution.
