The Forward Operating Base (FOB) of the Nigerian Navy, Badagry, Lagos State, on Thursday, handed over four sacks of cannabis sativa to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in Badagry.
Lt.-Cdr. Bitus Zoaka, the Base Operations Officer, FOB, representing the Commanding Officer FOB, Navy Captain Augustus Amakiri, said the patrol team of the Base intercepted the suspected hard drugs on May 31.
According to him, at about 6.20.a.m, on Friday, May 31, the FOB personnel while on routine patrol along the the waterways got credible intelligence about the movement of suspected sacks of hard drugs.
“They moved into action and intercepted the hard drugs at beachside, close to the Falcon Eye sensor at Daddi, Barrier Island, Iworo, Badagry.
“The suspected drugs were believed to have been smuggled from Ghana into Nigeria and was breach-landed using wooden boat,” he said.
Zoaka said the four sacks of the seized substances contained 65, 60, 51 and 43 pellets respectively.
‘The handing over exercise is in line with the Harmonised Standard Procedures on Arrest, Detention and Prosecution (HSOP-AD&P) 2016.
“Recall that since the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Adm. Emmanuel Ogalla assumed office, he stated that his mission was to maintain and equip a professionally competent naval force capable of defending Nigeria’s maritime area of interest in fulfillment of national security imperatives.
“Similarly, the Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, Rear Adm. Mustapha Bala Hassan, on Nov 9, launched Operation Water Guard.
“This operation is aimed at denying smugglers and other criminal element the freedom of action within Badagry General Area in order to ensure security and economic stability in the region while fulfilling the Navy’s constitutional roles.
“Accordingly, these sustained efforts of FOB Badagry are all geared towards complying with the CNS Strategic Directive 2023-6 which is to ensure a safe and secure maritime environment in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea for economic activities to thrive,” he said.
Zoaka said this would be the second time such exercise was being conducted since assumption of office of the current administration of FOB Badagry in February 2024.
Receiving the exhibit, Mr Ogbogoh Emmanuel, the Assistant Commander Narcotics, Sème Spécial Command of NDLEA, promised that an investigation would commence on the seized items.
He commended the Nigerian Navy for the seizures, assuring them that the perpetrators would not go unpunished. (NAN).
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