THE Nigerian Navy has arrested three suspected drug traffickers and seized a significant cache of illicit substances, marking another victory in its long-standing battle against maritime crime.
Personnel from NNS LUGARD executed the operation on September 8, 2026, intercepting exactly 71 kilogrammes of substances suspected to be Cannabis sativa.
News Point Nigeria reports that the illicit consignment was cleverly concealed in the rear compartment of a large wooden commercial boat during a routine riverine patrol near the Chintako Community Jetty in Bassa Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The successful operation was the direct result of credible intelligence regarding the movement of the drugs.
The interception adds to Nigeria’s protracted battle against narcotics smuggling across its extensive and porous maritime boundaries.
The origins of cannabis cultivation and trafficking in the region trace back to the post-World War II era, and over the decades, criminal syndicates have continually exploited the nation’s complex network of inland waterways and coastal routes as transit points.
To counter this enduring threat, the Nigerian Navy and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have forged a critical and long-standing partnership.
The collaboration has yielded major seizures, including the recent interception of 756 kilogrammes of cannabis by NNS Beecroft in Lagos, just weeks before the River Niger arrest.
Naval and NDLEA operatives have continued to address the press on their recent operations against illicit drugs, highlighting the sustained nature of the joint effort to disrupt narcotics trafficking through Nigeria’s waterways.
Following the Kogi State operation, the three suspects and the recovered narcotics were officially handed over to the NDLEA, Kogi State Command, on September 9, 2026.
According to an NDLEA representative, the agency’s investigations will strictly “seek to establish the source and ownership of the consignment and identify those behind its supply”.
The development is part of continuing efforts by security and law enforcement agencies to prevent criminal syndicates from exploiting Nigeria’s inland waterways and coastal routes to move illicit substances.
Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, Director of Naval Information, emphasised the strategic value of the operation.
Captain Folorunsho stated that the seizure “highlights the importance of intelligence-led maritime enforcement in disrupting the movement of illicit drugs through Nigeria’s inland waterways and strengthening the wider fight against organised criminal activity”.
The Navy’s latest operation further underscores the importance of intelligence-driven patrols and inter-agency cooperation in tackling drug trafficking and other forms of organised maritime crime across the country.