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The arrested culprits and their merchandise
The Ogun State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested three suspects in connection with 115 bags of Cannabis sativa discovered at a residence in Mowe, Ogun State.
One of the suspects, Benedict Joseph Thaddeus, was arrested alongside two others on Wednesday while allegedly loading the illicit substance, weighing about 1,600 kilograms, into a Toyota Sienna bus and a Hummer bus.
The Command’s spokesperson, Mr. Harris Musa, confirmed the arrest in a statement obtained by The Guardian in Abeokuta on Thursday, saying the operation was intelligence-driven.
Musa said the arrest demonstrated the Command’s unwavering vigilance, intelligence capacity, and firm enforcement stance in the fight against drug abuse and trafficking.
He noted that the development sent a strong warning to drug traffickers that Ogun State would not serve as a safe haven for illicit drug activities.
“On 14 January 2026, in a separate intelligence-driven operation at a residence in Mowe, Ogun State, operatives apprehended Benedict Joseph Thaddeus and two others while actively loading 115 bags of Cannabis sativa, with a total weight of 1,600 kilograms (1.6 tonnes), into a Toyota Sienna bus and a Hummer bus,” Musa said.
“This interception emphatically reinforces the high level of operational vigilance, intelligence superiority, and uncompromising enforcement posture of the Command, sending a clear message that there will be no respite, safe haven, or operational window for drug traffickers at any time or season,” he added.
Musa stressed that the command remains resolute and unwavering in fulfilling its statutory mandate to dismantle drug trafficking syndicates, suppress the circulation of illicit drugs, and safeguard public health and security in the state.
Recall that the arrest comes barely two weeks after the command disclosed that it apprehended 760 suspects and seized no fewer than 6,060.72 kilograms and 2,655.75 litres of hard drugs and liquid-based illicit substances across Ogun State in 2025. (The Guardian)
