Operatives of the Nigerian Navy to Nigerian Navy Ship Beecroft, have seized approximately 500 kilograms of suspected cannabis sativa during a patrol operation in the Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos.
The illicit drugs, reportedly concealed in sacks, were intercepted on Thursday around the Abule Oshu axis during a routine, intelligence-driven naval patrol.
Handing over the consignment to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Friday, Commander of NNS Beecroft, Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu, said the operation followed actionable intelligence on attempts by smugglers to transport drugs through Lagos waterways.
“The seizure forms part of sustained efforts by the Navy to block criminal access to Nigeria’s maritime routes and dismantle drug distribution networks operating between land and sea,” Adams-Aliu said.
He added that suspects abandoned the consignment and fled on sighting naval operatives. “Their identities have been established, and efforts are ongoing to apprehend them,” he said.
Adams-Aliu explained that the operation aligns with the strategic directives of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, emphasizing strong inter-agency collaboration to maintain a responsive and professional Navy.
“Our mission is to reposition NNS Beecroft to effectively secure Lagos waterways and combat crimes moving from land to sea and back. This seizure is a clear example of that mandate in action,” he added, noting that raids on known drug hotspots will be intensified.
Receiving the seized narcotics, NDLEA’s Deputy Commander of Narcotics, Adejumo Gbenga, commended the Navy for its unwavering support in combating drug trafficking.
“The Nigerian Navy remains one of our strongest operational partners, and this collaboration has significantly strengthened our capacity to curb drug abuse and trafficking,” Gbenga said, adding that investigations will continue to track and prosecute those behind the consignment while naval operatives pursue the fleeing suspects.
