THE Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, has intercepted a bus belonging to the Federal University of Agriculture, FUNNAB, Abeokuta, conveying Indian hemp through a border town in Ogun State.

Sani Madugu, comptroller of the NCS, Ogun State Command, told newsmen on Tuesday, August 15, at command’s headquarters in Abeokuta, that its patrol team intercepted the vehicle and arrested the driver of the coaster bus with registration number FUNNAB 50 B-100 FG, alongside 211 parcels of cannabis which was made to fit Bible size.

Madugu, accompanied by the commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, of the state, Bala Fagge, said the suspect, Abolade Bolaji, was caught in Imeko border town, while conveying the illegal drugs into the country.

He said the suspect had concealed the parceled cannabis under bags of rice he was transporting, adding that after a search by the Customs officials, the packages of Indian hemp, neatly wrapped, were discovered.

The NCS has handed over the suspect and exhibits to the NDLEA for further investigation.

Fagge, while receiving the suspect and exhibits, commended the Customs for the feat, saying that cannabis was now being cultivated in neighbouring countries and that exhibits seized from the suspect weighed 295.4kg.

However, the university, in a statement, said: “As a responsible and law-abiding organisation, the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta is committed to upholding all statutory enactments guiding its establishment, subsisting legislation in Ogun State and the nation in general. This uncompromising and non-negotiable stance had always and severally been hammered to bonafide members of staff and students of the University.”

“Already, the university has put the necessary machinery in place to carry out proper investigations to ascertain what actually transpired on the said date on one hand, while law enforcement agents, on the other hand, would be allowed and supported to perform their statutory duties in the overall interest of all citizens,’’ the statement said.

Aug 16, 2017 @ 10:50 GMT