ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Troops of the Nigerian Army have intercepted a truck transporting a large consignment of suspected illicit drugs along the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, arresting the driver during an intelligence-led operation.
The operation, carried out by troops of the 65 Battalion on July 9, followed credible intelligence on the movement of the illegal consignment, military authorities said on Sunday.
The Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Musa Yahaya, disclosed that the truck was stopped during a targeted operation, leading to the recovery of the suspected drugs and the arrest of the driver.
According to him, preliminary investigations revealed that the consignment was being transported to the Berger area of Lagos State.
He, however, said the suspect failed to provide investigators with credible information regarding the ownership of the drugs or the identity of the intended recipient.
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“The intelligence-led operation resulted in the interception of the vehicle and the arrest of the driver. Preliminary investigations revealed that the illicit consignment was being transported to the Berger area of Lagos State.
“However, the suspect could not provide satisfactory information regarding the ownership or intended recipient of the drugs,” Yahaya stated.
The Army spokesman said the suspect, alongside the recovered substances, had been handed over to the Lagos State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation and possible prosecution.
The handover was carried out by the Commanding Officer of the 65 Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel S. Adeojo.
Reacting to the successful operation, the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 81 Division Nigerian Army, Major General Adebayo Babalola, commended the troops for their vigilance, professionalism and operational efficiency.
Babalola urged personnel to sustain the momentum in ongoing security operations and intensify efforts to frustrate the activities of drug traffickers and other criminal elements operating within the division’s area of responsibility.