NDLEA recovers 27 rifles in Niger, destroys five hectares of cannabis farm in Ondo

OPERATIVES of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA), Niger State Command, have recovered 27 new firearms from two suspects during a routine stop- and- search operation in Kontagora area of the state.

The suspects: Danjuma Auta, 35, and Daniel Danrangi, 25, both male and from Dirin Daji, Sakaba Local Government Area of Kebbi State were arrested along Kontagora- Zuru road, Niger on Monday night.

According to the Niger Commander of the agency, Mr. Aloye Isaac Oludare, 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 where the weapons were seized is about 107 kilometers from Kagara, a town in Niger 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 stated.

In another operation, operatives of NDLEA, Ondo State Command, have raided Ita- Ipele and Ipele forests, Owo local council of Ondo. “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”, the Ondo Commander of the agency, Mr. Haruna Gagara stated.