The Kwara State Police Command, working alongside other security agencies, has intercepted a vehicle carrying 127 bags of suspected cannabis hidden beneath yam tubers.
The seizure took place on Friday around 4 p.m. along the Babanla–Oreke–Oke-Ode route during a coordinated operation by the police, the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Nigeria Forest Security Service, and local vigilante groups.
Two suspects, Dan-Teni Haruna and Rabiu Ibrahim, both residents of Saliku in Magama Local Government Area of Niger State, were taken into custody over the cannabis smuggling incident.
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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency stated that cannabis continues to be the most commonly abused illegal drug in Nigeria, with annual seizures reaching thousands of tonnes.
In a related development, three men—Mohammed Abubakar and Hussain, both from Tsaragi, and Tukur Ibrahim, a suspected notorious kidnapper—were arrested for their involvement in the Babanla invasion.
On 8 August 2025, gunmen struck Babanla, attacking a police station, ransacking shops, and leaving several people dead.
In a statement on Saturday, the command’s spokesperson, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, confirmed the arrests and quoted Commissioner of Police Adekimi Ojo commending the coordinated effort that led to the breakthrough.
“This success is a result of effective collaboration between the police, the NSA operatives, the Nigeria Forest Security Service, and local vigilante groups,” Ojo said.
He pledged that criminal activities would not be tolerated anywhere in the state.
“We are determined to maintain security across Kwara. Let it be known that Kwara State will not be a safe haven for criminal elements,” the CP warned.
Ejire-Adeyemi further stated that the suspects are presently under confidential investigation and will be arraigned in court once the process is completed.
