NDLEA Recovers 27 Rifles in Niger, Destroys Cannabis Farm in Ondo

Matilda Omonaiye/

Narcotic agents on stop and search operations along Kontagora – Zuru Road in Niger State have recovered 27 new rifles from two suspects, on Monday night.

According to a statement from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Niger State Command, the suspects are 35-year-old Danjuma Auta and Daniel Danrangi, 25. They hail from Dirin Daji, Sakaba Local Government Area of Kebbi State

Niger State NDLEA Commander, Mr Aloye Isaac Oludare, revealed that the suspects 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.

He stated: “Kontagora where the weapons were seized is about 107 kilometers from Kagara, a town in Niger State 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.”

In another operation, NDLEA officers at Ondo State Command raided Ita-Ipele and Ipele forests, Owo LGA of Ondo State.

“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 State Commander of the Agency, Mr Haruna Gagara stated.

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