The Nigerian Navy has disrupted a suspected drug trafficking operation along the River Niger in Kogi State, arresting three suspected traffickers and recovering 71 kilogrammes of substances suspected to be Cannabis sativa.
The suspects were arrested on September 8, 2026, by personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS LUGARD, during a riverine patrol following credible intelligence on the movement of an illicit drug consignment.
In a statement signed by Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, Director Naval Information, Nigerian Navy, the suspected cannabis was concealed in the rear compartment of a large wooden commercial boat intercepted near Chintako Community Jetty in Bassa Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The operation highlights the role of intelligence-led patrols in detecting and disrupting the movement of illicit drugs through Nigeria’s inland waterways.
Following the interception, the three suspects and the recovered consignment were handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Kogi State Command, on September 9 for further investigation and prosecution.
According to the Navy, the NDLEA will investigate the source and ownership of the consignment and seek to identify other individuals or networks behind its supply.
The Navy said the interception demonstrates the importance of maritime surveillance and inter-agency cooperation in tackling the movement of illicit drugs and other organised criminal activities through Nigeria’s waterways.
The operation also underscores the expanding role of Nigeria’s inland waterways in security enforcement, with intelligence-led riverine patrols providing another layer of surveillance against criminal networks.