The Nigerian Navy Ship Lugard Thursday arrested eight persons with 580 bags of liquid substance suspected to be adulterated diesel product around Itobe-Idah axis of River Niger waterways in Kogi state.
Parading the suspects in Lokoja Thursday before handing them over to officials of NSCDC, the Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship Lugard (NNSL) , Commodore Clement Atebi, stated that within one month, the personnel of the Nigerian Navy have arrested two suspects with 304 bags of liquid substance suspected to be black oil on the 26th April , 2021 and another two suspects were arrested on the 10th May 2021 with 16 bags of cannabis sativa which the suspects were transporting through the waterways in Kogi sate.
He said the eight suspects were arrested between Idah and Itobe axis of river Nigeria with 580 bags of Illegal refined product carefully concealed in sacks to be delivered to their business partners in Lokoja, adding that the two suspects earlier arrested with cannabis sativa has been handed over to officials of NDLEA for prosecution.
Commodore Atebi while reiterating the commitment of the Nigerian Navy in tackling illegal businesses on the waterways in Kogi state, warned those who are in the habit of stepping into the waterways to indulge in illicit businesses to desist, assuring that there will be no hiding place for them before the eagle eye of the Navy patrol team get them.
“We are advising people in their own interest to stay away from any form of illicit dealings on the waterways. Nigerian Navy is reasonably empowered and supported by the Chief of the Naval Staff , Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo, to stamp out criminality along River Niger and its surrounding water in Kogi state. As such, we will have no sacred cow,” he warned.
Receiving the suspects, the Commandant Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Peter Samuel Maigari, commended NNS Lugard for the feat , attributing the effort to the synergy between the security agents in the state.
“I am calling on the general public to always assist security agents with useful information to tackle criminal activities in the state. The fight against crime should be the responsibility and a business for all and sundry and as security agents in the state, we will not relent to free the state from crimes and vandalisation of government property,” he assured.
One of the suspects and the owner of the boat used in transporting the substances Solomon Nnazuor, while fielding questions from newsmen, said he was aware that the goods he carried was an illegal business, but stated that he was pushed into the business because of lack of job to earn a living as a family man