In Birnin Kebbi on Thursday, the area controller, Joseph Attah, disclosed this while turning over 723 parcels of cannabis Sativa confiscated by the command to the commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Kebbi State Command, in accordance with interagency coordination.
According to Comptroller Attah, officers and soldiers of the command confiscated cannabis with a street value of N28.9 million along Kamba-Bunza Road based on solid intelligence.
While reeling out the command’s achievements, Attah said the renewed onslaught against smugglers in the state had started yielding positive results.
“You may recall that shortly after I took over barely three weeks ago, I specifically mentioned fuel and foreign parboiled rice as products my men should keep watchful eyes on. Already our efforts and determination have started yielding results.
“In addition to the 723 parcels of cannabis, we also intercepted and seized 8,850 litres of petrol, 16 bales of second-hand clothing, and other items with a duty paid value of 32.5m,” he said.
Attah attributed the success to the ongoing reorientation and robust stakeholder engagement in the command since he assumed duty.
He said the patrol teams were being re-orientated with anti-bunkering teams and rapid response squads and the new teams have a mandate to ensure that fuel smugglers do not have a breathing space in the command’s area of jurisdiction.
The area controller, while reiterating the command’s zero tolerance for smuggling of fuel and foreign parboiled rice, allayed the fears of rice farmers in the state.
According to him, the command is prepared to support rice farmers by putting in place procedures to guarantee that the increased crackdown on gasoline smugglers does not harm farmers who rely on fuel for irrigation.
“The instruction is only against those who steal gasoline under the cover of darkness,” he explained.
Mr. Peter Odaudu, the state commander of the NDLEA, responded by appreciating the Kebbi area command for its cooperation with the NDLEA and promising that his command will handle the case in line with the law.
