By Olusegun Olanrewaju
It was another history-making day last Thursday at the Nigerian Navy Ship Beecroft (NNS Beecroft) base of the Nigerian Navy Western Command in Apapa.

A consignment of seized drugs worth N500m by the Commander of NNS Beecroft, Commodore Malami Haruna, was being shown to journalists.

At the parade ground, Haruna led his men to hand over the haul to another team of operatives of the anti-narcotics agency, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), led by the commander of the marine unit, Isaac Uzah.

As Haruna handed over the seized drugs to the NDLEA commander, he delved into how the seizure was made.

Haruna said the boat laden with the suspected contraband had been intercepted.

“On sighting the patrol boat, the suspects jumped into a speed boat and sped off, though the suspects are at large, efforts are being made to apprehend them,” he submitted.

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He added, “However, investigation reveals that the boat, loaded with 463 large sacks of compressed marijuana, is worth more than N500m in the local market, amongst other items.

“The hard drugs will be handed over to the NDLEA, in line with extant regulations for the arrest and handing over of suspects and evidence to appropriate agencies.”

Aptly described as a morale-boosting move for two collaborating federal agencies committed to eradicating criminalities on Nigeria’s maritime corridors, as well as the general society at large, large sacks of intercepted cannabis loaded into 500kg bags of drugs each, were exhibited.

“The suspect is still at large, but efforts are being made to track the criminal down “because the load was too heavy for him to convey,” Haruna said.

He added that the consignment was being handed over to the NDLEA officials, as part of collaborative efforts with the anti-narcotics agency to rid the nation of illicit drugs, economic saboteurs, and their nasty effect on the citizenry.

The naval commandant also harped on the Navy’s desire for zero tolerance on drug trafficking and other illegitimate, unpatriotic engagements, pledging the force’s unalloyed support to the efforts to make the society drug-free.

“The hard drugs will be handed over to the NDLEA in line with extant regulations for the arrest and handover of suspects and evidence to appropriate agencies,” he said.

Speaking with journalists later, the narcotics commander of NDLEA, Isaac Uzah, described the seizure of N500m of illicit drugs as timely and a big booster to the relationship existing between the two federal agencies, particularly on crimes in the maritime environment.

He expressed satisfaction that despite the challenges facing the anti-narcotics agency, the Nigerian navy has been helping as one of such agencies of the government to effect anti-criminal operations.

The NDLEA representative at the handing-over ceremony said the navy had helped in making massive arrests, particularly of 161 bags of cannabis in January.

This, he recalled, was followed by another seizure of 68 bags of cannabis on January 27.

“Today’s massive seizure is good for the relationship between the Navy and NDLEA,” Uzah said.

He said the suspects apprehended during the second drug haul in January had been arrested and were currently facing trial in a Lagos high court.

He also lauded the authorities for handing over some patrol boats “to increase the capacity to reach out the more for criminals, as well as increase the capacity to understand the factors that could mar the environment”.

Uzah noted that the significance of the Navy’s haul is underscored by the undertaking of what it would have cost the nation if it slipped into the market or society.

“Understand that no heinous criminality is done without the oxygen of drugs -kidnapping, murder, and so on. Drug enforcement is a stakeholder in the continuous fight for national security and development.

“To allow N500m worth of drugs into the society can be used for political reasons. Politicians can tap into it to tumble down the interests of the society,” he said.

The commander said the prevention of such a large quantity of hard drugs from entering society would help to reduce drug intake that leads youths toward committing crimes in society.

“The seizure has also deprived the owners of the contraband the funds to sustain their operations,” he said.

Haruna said that the Nigerian Navy under the leadership of Vice-Admiral Awwal Gambo has been sustaining a tempo of zero tolerance for maritime crime and criminalities.

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“We will not relent in our drive to rid the nation’s maritime space of all illegalities such as drug trafficking and oil theft among others.

“I commend the patrol teams for their commitment and loyalty in living up to the assigned responsibilities of the Western Naval Command,” he said.

In the same vein, Uzah, said that the Nigerian Navy was one of the agencies of government in collaboration with the NDLEA, supporting the war against transnational crime.

Uzah, who is also the NDLEA’s supervisor of the anti-narcotics sector, said the Navy was living up to expectations, specifically with the agency, despite the numerous challenges of the maritime domain.

“In January alone, the Navy made a massive arrest and seizure, handing over 529 bags of cannabis to the NDLEA and they have seized 463 bags of cannabis again.

“The Nigerian Navy has been complementing the effort of the NDLEA under the leadership of Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Marwa, who has launched the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA),” he said.

Uzah also said the Navy recently handed over two gunboats to the NDLEA, which had increased their capabilities and enriched their understanding of the maritime environment.

“This will make us have a wide reach in the sea, thereby contributing more to the arrest and seizure of contrabands in the country.

“Also, the Nigerian Navy has helped in training our personnel to man these boats as well as the communication and electronic aspect of operating in the maritime domain,” he said.

In January alone, the Navy made a massive arrest and seizure, handing over 529 bags of cannabis to the NDLEA and they have seized 463 bags of cannabis again