The Nigerian Navy has intercepted 71 kilogrammes of substances suspected to be Cannabis sativa and arrested three suspected drug traffickers during a riverine patrol along the River Niger in Kogi State.
According to an official statement signed by Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, Director Naval Information, the suspects were arrested on September 8, 2026, by personnel of NNS LUGARD following credible intelligence on the movement of an illicit drug consignment.
The Navy said the suspected cannabis was concealed in the rear compartment of a large wooden commercial boat intercepted near Chintako Community Jetty in Bassa Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The suspects and the recovered consignment were subsequently handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Kogi State Command, on September 9 for further investigation and prosecution.
According to the NDLEA representative, investigations would focus on establishing the source and ownership of the consignment and identifying those behind its supply.
The Navy said the interception demonstrated the importance of intelligence-led maritime enforcement in disrupting the movement of illicit drugs through Nigeria’s inland waterways.
It added that such operations remained critical to strengthening the wider fight against organised criminal activities and preventing the use of the country’s waterways for illicit trafficking.
