Operatives intercept FUNAAB bus carrying Indian Hemp

Photo: Punch

Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service of Ogun State Command, has intercepted a Toyota coaster bus reportedly belonging to the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, loaded with concealed wraps of Indian hemp, along Imeko Afon area of the Idiroko border.

The Controller of the command, Sani Madugu, revealed this on Tuesday in Abeokuta, at the command’s headquarters.

He said customs operatives, who were on patrol on Saturday, August 12, intercepted the vehicle and arrested the driver, Abolade Bolaji, of the bus with number plate, FUNAAB 50 B-100 FG, adding that 211 parcels of Indian hemp were discovered in the bus.

Punch reports that Madugu, who was accompanied by the state Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Bala Fagge, said, “The suspect, Abolade Bolaji, was caught in the Imeko border town while conveying the illegal drug into the country.

“He concealed parcels of Indian hemp (cannabis) under the bags of rice he was conveying with the vehicle to Abeokuta, when nemesis caught up with him.

“Our operatives on patrol stopped the vehicle and searched it, only to discover the illicit drug.”

Madugu later handed over the cannabis to the NDLEA for further investigation.

Fagge, while receiving both the suspect and the exhibits, commended the Nigeria Customs Service for the performance.

He noted that Indian hemp was now being cultivated in neighbouring countries, with market in Nigeria, adding that the cannabis recovered from the suspect weighed 295 kilorammes.

Reacting to the interception of the school bus, FUNAAB said it would not interfere in the investigation of the matter, describing it as unfortunate.

The institution’s Head of the Public Relations Directorate, Mrs. Emi Alawode, said as a law abiding institution, necessary machinery had been put in place to carry out proper investigation of the incident.

She said “one of its drivers, using the university’s official vehicle in his possession, was said to have been apprehended along Olorunda, Ogun State, by law enforcement agents, for allegedly being in possession of substances suspected to have been smuggled.