Three drug traffickers in uniforms of security agencies have been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) with over 427 kilogrammes of illicit drugs in Borno state and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
A statement on Thursday by the spokesman of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi said the drug traffickers were apparently fake security operatives and dressed in uniform to escape scrutiny.
He said one of the arrested fake security personnel, Yakubu Kotri, impersonated as a military personnel and was arrested on Wednesday, driving a gulf car loaded with Cannabis Sativa weighing 208 kilogrammes on his way to Bama, in Borno state.
Another suspect, Salisu Mohammed, who adorned the uniform of another security agency to traffic Tramadol to Bama was also nabbed by narcotic officers on patrol on the route same day.
Babafemi said: “Although the pictures of the arrest of Yakubu Kotri in uniform have been trending on social media since Wednesday, the agency wishes to disclaim such because the suspect has not been confirmed to be a serving military personnel.
He said in the same vein, another impersonator, Dada Adekunle was on Wednesday arrested along with his 60-year-old accomplice, Usman Isa, in Abaji area of FCT with 15.8 kilogrammes cannabis, while 20 kilogrammes of the same drug was seized from Alfred Aminu who was intercepted at Gwagwalada, another part of FCT the same day.
He said in Plateau a commercial DAF truck with registration number GME 874 YX, coming from Onitsha, Anambra State to Mubi, Adamawa State was intercepted on Tuesday along Jos-Bauchi Road, and upon search, 7.8 kilogrammes of 225 milligrammes of Tramadol was recovered.
He said also on Tuesday in Yauri area of Bauchi state, operatives arrested one Shaft’atu Abubakar with 174 kilogrammes of cannabis and 2.1 kilogrammes Diazepam, while a suspected bandit, Usman Sani was arrested in Dan-Anacha town, Gasol local government area of Taraba State with two pistols and ammunition.
Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) has commended officers and men of Borno, FCT, Plateau and Taraba state commands for their vigilance.
He said the arrest of the fake security agents should serve as a warning to drug traffickers who want to wear uniforms of security agencies as a cover to escape scrutiny, adding that they would not go undetected.
Michael Olugbode in Abuja
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