The Naval Outpost, Onitsha Command of the Nigerian Navy, has formally transferred 19 bags of confiscated illicit substances, heavily suspected to be Cannabis Sativa, to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The official handover took place at the NDLEA Onitsha Unit on Tuesday, following the successful recovery of the drugs at Atani Community, located within the Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State.
According to the official handover documentation obtained on Wednesday, the Commanding Officer of the Naval Outpost, Onitsha, Kabir Yusuf, revealed that the illegal consignments were intercepted during distinct, intelligence-led security operations carried out within the command’s jurisdiction.
Yusuf explained that personnel stationed at the Forward Operating Base (FOB), Amiyi, positioned at Atani Abo Community, initially uncovered the contraband during routine patrols.
“The suspected illicit substances were recovered during a routine patrol by personnel of the Forward Operating Base, Amiyi, at Atani Abo Community,” Yusuf stated. “The patrol team sighted a vehicle suspected to be conveying Cannabis Sativa and immediately gave it a chase, where the suspect was said to have abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene.”
The Commanding Officer added that a swift, follow-up enforcement operation immediately led the naval security operatives straight to a warehouse allegedly utilized by the fleeing suspect to stockpile contraband. A comprehensive search of the facility yielded the remainder of the bulk haul.
“A follow-up operation subsequently led security operatives to a warehouse allegedly used by the suspect for storing illicit substances, where a thorough search resulted in the recovery of 19 bags of suspected Cannabis Sativa,” he said.
According to Yusuf, the success of the raid highlights the unwavering vigilance, professional execution, and high operational readiness of the personnel at the Navy Outpost Onitsha in restoring sanity and completely wiping out the menace of dangerous narcotics in communities.
Following the transfer of the 19 bags of Cannabis Sativa to the NDLEA Onitsha Unit for deeper profiling and subsequent legal actions, the Naval Outpost formally requested that the anti-narcotics agency feed the naval base with updates and final outcomes of the investigation once it is fully wrapped up.