TROOPS of the Nigeria Army intercepted a truck loaded with ammunition, heading for Anambra State, on Saturday, July 15.
A statement released by Director of Army Public Relations, Onyema Nwachukwu, said members of an international ammunition smuggling syndicate were transporting the weapons to the South-East state when they were intercepted.
According to the statement, troops of 192 Battalion, operating in 81 Division Area, made the arrest in Ajilete-Owode Road in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Based on actionable intelligence, the troops conducted a stop-and-search operation and uncovered the illegal ammunition in a truck with the number plate ENU 697 XY.
According to reports, the truck was loaded with 720 packets of (red) cartridges of 12 calibre, containing 25 cartridges per packet. The total comes to 18,000 cartridges.
There were also 250 packets of live (black) cartridges containing ten packages each, totalling 2,500 cartridges of the same calibre.
A Ghanaian, Eric Seworvor, and the driver, Lukman Sani, were arrested and taken into custody concerning the discovery.
According to information discovered during the initial investigation, the ammunition, which was secretly smuggled in a fictitious empty truck, was brought from Mali across the Idiroko border.
“The criminals had successfully beaten several other checkpoints en route to their final destination in Onitsha, Anambra State, where they intended to deliver the illegal ammunition.
“The timely intervention by the vigilant troops, however, thwarted the chaos that such volume of ammunition would have unleashed on innocent members of the public if the criminals had succeeded.
“The Chief of Army Staff, Major General Taoreed Lagbaja, has commended the troops for their commitment and urged them not to relent as they strive in synergy with other services and security agencies to provide safe and secure atmosphere for all Nigerians and the socio-economic development across the country,” the Army spokesperson said in the statement.
In another development, illicit drugs worth N13 million have been impounded by Police officers in Lagos.
Police officers attached to Aswani Division Lagos State carried out the operation.
It was gathered that during a normal stop-and-search on Wednesday, July 12, at around 11:56 pm, the drugs thought to be Indian hemp were discovered.
In addition, the police detained two suspects, Chukwuma Kennedy, 50, and Fidelis Otiga, 49, whose vehicles were used to convey the drugs.
The spokesperson of the Lagos State Police Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, while confirming the incident, said the illicit drugs, with a street value of N13 million, were being conveyed in a Toyota Sienna car with registration number KJA 118 HV.
“The suspects and exhibit have since been transferred to the Command headquarters for further investigation and prosecution,” he said.
In the meantime, the commissioner of police for Lagos State, Idowu Owohunwa, assured the public that there would be sufficient security for lives and property and a persistent effort to combat the threat of drug addiction and usage in the state.
A reporter with the ICIR
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