The Nigerian Navy has arrested three suspected drug traffickers and intercepted 71 kilogrammes of substances suspected to be Cannabis sativa on the River Niger in Kogi State.
Gatekeepers News reports that the operation was carried out on September 8, 2026, by personnel of NNS LUGARD during a routine riverine patrol near Chintako Community Jetty in Bassa Local Government Area of the state.
According to the Navy, the operation followed credible intelligence on the movement of the illicit consignment.
The suspected cannabis was concealed in the rear compartment of a large wooden commercial boat when the naval team intercepted it.
Following the operation, the three suspects and the recovered substances were handed over to the Kogi State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on September 9 for further investigation.
An NDLEA representative said the agency’s investigation would “seek to establish the source and ownership of the consignment and identify those behind its supply”.
The seizure is part of ongoing efforts by security agencies to curb the movement of illicit drugs through Nigeria’s inland waterways and other maritime routes.
The Nigerian Navy and NDLEA have maintained a longstanding collaboration in combating drug trafficking, with the partnership resulting in several major seizures across the country.
One of the recent operations involved the interception of 756 kilogrammes of suspected cannabis by NNS Beecroft in Lagos.
Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, Director of Naval Information, described the latest operation as a significant development in the fight against organised crime.
He said 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 said it would continue to work with relevant security and law enforcement agencies to disrupt criminal activities and prevent the use of Nigeria’s waterways for illicit drug trafficking.
