Troops arrest Beninese, Nigerian smuggling truckload of marijuana into the country

A Beninese, Matthew Edegbe and his Nigerian accomplice, Joshua Dansu, have been arrested by troops of the Nigerian Army while trying to smuggle into the country a truckload of a substance suspected to be marijuana.

They were arrested the suspects during a stop-and-search operation along Ajilete Road in the Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State on Tuesday.

The Director, Army Public Relations, Brigadier Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement on Wednesday, said the suspects conveyed the drug in a truck without a number plate, adding that the investigation by troops revealed that the marijuana was transported from Ghana.

The statement read: “Troops of 192 Battalion Nigerian Army operating in the 81 Division Area of Responsibility have again on Tuesday, July 18, 2023, intercepted a suspected international drug syndicate smuggling a truckload of substance suspected to be cannabis sativa (marijuana) en route Sango Ota in Ogun State.

“Responding to actionable intelligence, troops conducted stop-and-search operations along Ajilete Road in the Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State during which they intercepted and impounded the suspected truck without a number plate loaded with 397 wraps of the substance suspected to be marijuana.

“In the preliminary investigations that followed, it was revealed that the illicit substance concealed in the truck was transported from Ghana through the Benin Republic via Igholo-Idiroko en route to Sango Ota.

“The suspects conveying the illegal drugs have been identified as Matthew Edegbe, a Benin Republic national, and Joshua Dansu of Idiroko, who are currently assisting in ongoing investigations.”

According to the Army spokesman, a Benin Republic’s national identification card and a driver’s licence belonging to one George Benyagbe among others were recovered from the suspects.

“Items recovered from the suspects include the truck’s number plate identified as (T 1826 LA Lagos), which was detached and concealed in the vehicle to prevent identification, an Infinix and Itel phone, one iPhone, a Benin Republic national identification card, and a driver’s licence belonging to one George Benyagbe, as well as the sum of N7,000 only,” Nwachukwu added.

He further stated that the suspects, vehicle and exhibits had been taken into custody pending handing over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency {NDLEA}, adding that the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Taoreed Lagbaja, commended the troops for their commitment and vigilance, urging them to sustain the momentum.