By Kenneth Jukpor
The Ogun Area 1 Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Monday in Abeokuta, handed a large number of weeds suspected to be Cannabis Sativa earlier intercepted by its operatives over to the state command of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Contrabands, with Duty Payable Value (DPV) worth N102,848,768, were subjected to a test before newsmen by the NDLEA, using the United Nation’s testing kits to ascertain its originality.
The items, however, included 319 sacks (raw), 476 units, wrapped in book size as well as 96 other units, wrapped in coconut size and were all handed over to the State Commander of the narcotics agency, Ishaku Yusuf Kwajafa.
Speaking during the handing over of the substances, which was held within the Service’s premises in Abeokuta, Customs Controller for Ogun Area 1 Command, Comptroller Makinde Bamidele said the handing over was done in line with the existing respect for each agency’s statutory functions, as well as to further strengthen the synergy between NCS and the NDLEA.
Makinde explained that handing over of the seizure, which his command made within the past four months when he assume the duty of the command has been approved by the Controller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hameed Ali.
After taking possession of the Cannabis Sativa, NDLEA Commander in Ogun, Kwajafa appreciated the seizure stating that without the assistance of the NCS’ operatives, Ogun State would have been witnessing a “serious crisis” should the contraband have found its way into the society.
While commending the Ogun Command of NCS, Kwajafa said NDLEA would continue to value the existing cooperation between the two agencies so as to spur the Customs to do more.
