Troops of the 65 Battalion of the Nigerian Army have arrested a truck driver after intercepting a vehicle carrying a large consignment of suspected illicit drugs along the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road.
The operation, carried out on July 9, followed actionable intelligence received from a credible source, according to a statement issued on Sunday by Lieutenant Colonel Musa Yahaya, Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, 81 Division Nigerian Army.
The Army said the intelligence-led operation led to the successful interception of the truck and the arrest of its driver.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the suspected drugs were being transported to the Berger area of Lagos State. However, the driver reportedly failed to provide satisfactory information regarding the ownership of the consignment or its intended recipient.
The Nigerian Army said the suspect and the recovered drugs were subsequently handed over to the Lagos State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation and possible prosecution.
The handover was conducted by the Commanding Officer of the 65 Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel S. Adeojo, in line with established procedures.
Reacting to the operation, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division, Major General Adebayo Babalola, commended the troops for their vigilance, professionalism and operational effectiveness.
He urged personnel to sustain the momentum of ongoing operations and intensify efforts to deny drug traffickers and other criminal elements freedom of operation within the division’s area of responsibility.
