Three drug traffickers wearing uniforms of security agencies to escape scrutiny have been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), with over 427 kilograms of illicit drugs in Borno State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi in a statement on Thursday explained that a certain Yakubu Kotri who was posing as a military officer was arrested on Wednesday, 29th December.
The suspect was driving a gulf car loaded with Cannabis Sativa weighing 208 kilograms, he was on his way to Bama in Borno State.
Another suspect, Salisu Mohammed, who adorned the uniform of another security agency to traffic Tramadol to Bama, was also nabbed by narcotics officers on patrol along the route that same day.
Mr Babafemi noted that although the pictures of the arrest of Yakubu Kotri in uniform have been trending on social media since Wednesday, the NDLEA has distanced itself from claims suggesting he is a serving military personnel.
According to the agency’s spokesman, Kotri’s standing is yet to be determined, and what is certain remains that he was caught in possession of illegal items.
In the same vein, Babafemi asserted that a third impersonator, Dada Adekunle was on Wednesday arrested along with his 60-year-old accomplice, Usman Isa, in the Abaji area of FCT.
The individual was apprehended with 15.843kg of cannabis, while 20kg of the same drug was seized from one Alfred Aminu who was intercepted at Gwagwalada on the same day.
Meanwhile, in Plateau State, a commercial DAF truck with registration number GME 874 YX, coming from Onitsha, Anambra State to Mubi, Adamawa State was intercepted on Tuesday 28th Dec along Jos-Bauchi Road.
Upon search, 7.8kg of 225mg tramadol was recovered. Also on Tuesday in the Yauri area of Bauchi State, operatives arrested one Shaft’atu Abubakar with 174 kilograms of cannabis and 2.1kg Diazepam, while a suspected bandit, Usman Sani, was arrested in Dan-Anacha town, Gasol LGA, Taraba with two pistols and ammunition.
Commenting on the development, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), commended officers and men of Borno, FCT, Plateau, and Taraba State commands for their vigilance.
He said the arrest of the fake security agents should serve as a warning to drug traffickers who want to wear uniforms of security agencies as a cover to escape scrutiny, stressing that they would not go undetected.
