NDLEA intercepts 27 rifles in Niger, destroys cannabis farm in Ondo

The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Niger  Command, have intercepted 27 new rifles from two suspects during a routine stop and search operation in Kontagora area of Niger.

The state NDLEA  Commander, Mr Aloye Oludare, disclosed this in a statement issued by the Director, Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi, on Tuesday, March 2, 2021, in Abuja.

Oludare named the the suspects as Danjuma Auta, 35, and Daniel Danrangi, 25, saying that  both were male and were from Dirin Daji, Sakaba Local Government Area of Kebbi.

He said that they were arrested on Kontagora – Zuru Road, Niger,  on Monday, March 1.

According to the him, the duo were arrested with 12 locally-fabricated AK 47 rifles and 15 locally-fabricated pistols.

“The rifles were concealed in a white sack while on a motorcycle to an unknown place when they were arrested.

“Kontagora said that where the weapons were seized is about 107 kilometers from Kagara, a town in Niger State, where there have been mass abductions of women, children and secondary school students in the last one month.

“Preliminary investigation shows that the fabricator of the weapons resides in Kamfaninwaya, not far away from Kontagora, while one of the pistols is fully loaded.

“The suspects and the weapons will be transferred to the Nigerian Police Headquarters, Minna, for further investigation and prosecution of the suspects,” he said.

In another operation, operatives of NDLEA, Ondo State Command, have raided Ita-Ipele and Ipele forests, Owo LGA of Ondo State, and destroyed five hectares of cannabis farm.

“During the operation, six suspects, namely: Stephen Ikechukwu, 38; Stephen Friday, 32; Austin Osadebe, 58;  Friday Paul, 29;  Adebayo Raphael, 25; and John Pius, 45, were arrested.

“A total of 41kgs of Cannabis Sativa and 6kgs of Cannabis Seeds were recovered during the operation, while a total of five hectares of Cannabis farm was located and destroyed,” Gagara said.