The Nigerian Navy has handed over 19 bags of substances suspected to be Cannabis Sativa to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) following their recovery during security operations in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The seized consignment was transferred by the Naval Outpost, Onitsha Command, to the NDLEA Onitsha Unit on Tuesday after the substances were recovered at Atani Community. The handover marked the beginning of the next stage of investigation and enforcement by the anti-drug agency.
According to the handover note obtained on Wednesday, the Naval Outpost Commanding Officer, Kabir Yusuf, said the recovery followed intelligence-led activities carried out by naval personnel within the command’s operational area.
Yusuf said personnel attached to the Forward Operating Base (FOB), Amiyi, were conducting routine patrols around Atani Abo Community when they encountered a vehicle suspected of being used to transport the illicit substance.
The patrol team reportedly pursued the vehicle after identifying it as suspicious. During the chase, the suspect allegedly abandoned the vehicle and escaped from the area before naval personnel could apprehend him.
Rather than ending the operation with the abandoned vehicle, security personnel conducted follow-up activities aimed at identifying where the suspected consignment had originated from and where additional illicit substances might have been stored.
The subsequent operation led personnel to a warehouse allegedly connected to the suspect. A search of the premises resulted in the discovery of the suspected Cannabis Sativa that was later transferred to the NDLEA.
Yusuf said the recovery demonstrated the importance of intelligence gathering and sustained patrols in areas considered vulnerable to the movement and storage of illicit substances.
He said the operation began with the sighting of a vehicle suspected of conveying Cannabis Sativa during a routine patrol by FOB Amiyi personnel at Atani Abo Community.
“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,” Yusuf said.
He added that the follow-up operation subsequently took security personnel to a warehouse allegedly used for storing illicit substances, where the search led to the recovery of the 19 bags.
The naval command described the operation as part of its wider efforts to maintain security and prevent the movement of substances capable of causing harm within communities under its area of responsibility.
Yusuf commended the personnel involved, saying the recovery reflected their vigilance, professionalism and operational readiness. He said continued surveillance and intelligence-led operations remained important in efforts to tackle the circulation of hard drugs and other illicit substances.
The recovered bags were formally handed over to the NDLEA Onitsha Unit for investigation and further action in accordance with the agency’s mandate. The Navy also requested that the NDLEA provide the naval command with the outcome of its investigation once the process is concluded.
The handover means the NDLEA will now take responsibility for determining the nature of the seized substances, pursuing relevant investigative leads and taking any necessary legal or enforcement measures arising from the recovery.
Although the suspect reportedly escaped during the initial pursuit, the discovery of the warehouse and the additional consignment has provided investigators with further material that could assist efforts to establish the ownership and intended destination of the suspected drugs.
The Navy’s operation also highlights the role of inter-agency cooperation in addressing illicit drug trafficking. While naval personnel carried out the recovery within their operational area, the subsequent transfer to the NDLEA places the seized substances with the agency responsible for specialised drug-law enforcement and investigation.
The naval command said it expects to receive the findings of the NDLEA investigation after the agency completes its examination and other necessary procedures.
For the security authorities, the recovery at Atani and the subsequent handover represent another enforcement action aimed at disrupting the storage and movement of suspected illicit drugs within Anambra State.
Navy Transfers 19 Bags of Suspected Cannabis to NDLEA in Anambra
