By Okosun Dennis
Attempts by drug traffickers to distribute large volumes of Cannabis Sativa popularly called “Marijuana,” has been thwarted as personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship Beecroft, blocked their distribution channels, and seized 486 kilogrammes of the illicit drug in Lagos.
The exhibits loaded in five giant bags were handed over to DCN Adejumo Gbenga Ayo, Area Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Festac Command, by the Commander, NNS Beecroft, Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu, at the NNS Beecroft parade ground, Apapa, on Friday, 20th February, 2026.
Explaining to the media men, he disclosed that working on actionable intelligence, about 2300 hours on Wednesday, 18th February, NNS Beecroft patrol team seized almost 486 kilograms of smuggled cannabis sativa around Abule Oshu area of Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area in Lagos state.
He observed that knowing that every maritime crime starts from the land and always ends up in the land, every efforts would be made to truncate the illicit trade.
According to the Commander, “when I took over last week as Commander, NNS Beecroft, I stated clearly that we have an idea of the smuggling routes of these criminals.
“Some of them come from our neighbouring countries and tried to exploit our waterways. Henceforth, that will no longer be tenable. We are going to leverage on credible intelligence and surveillance to truncate their nefarious activities.”
On why the perpetrators were not arrested, Commodore Adams-Aliu reiterated that the perpetrators of the crime are presently on the run but “we are on their trail. We are going to get them arrested very soon and will parade them just as we are parading the exhibits today.”
He further stated that he would leverage on the strategic directives of the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Idi Abbas with a vision for a “Navy that is mobile, agile, professional, dedicated to securing Nigeria’s maritime domain and advancing national security objectives in synergy with other security agencies.”
On the strength of my mission to reposition Nigerian Navy Ship Beecroft to fulfill her mandate of securing the waterways in and around Lagos, and by extension, reiterates that “whatever crime that originates from land and goes to sea, always comes back to land.
Therefore, he assured that this seizure is our definition to rout every form of illegalities within the maritime domain.
Commodore Adams-Aliu, while making allusion to the Gidan Drama raid in Apapa a week ago, where several arrest of suspects and confiscation of illicit drugs were made, disclosed that the culprits are already being charged to court.
“But you have to understand that criminals, especially drug dealers, metamorphose. They are also dynamic. Going forward, he warned, as “they are changing tactics, we would re-strategize to be many steps ahead of them.”
Meanwhile, “We are collaborating with other agency like the 9 Brigade, Nigerian Army, to carry out some snap operations.
While responding to journalists questions on their disposal mechanisms coupled with alleged selling of seized Cannabis Sativa to miscreants and traffickers, DCN Adejumo Gbenga Ayo, Area Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Festac Command, denied as untrue such insinuation.
He explained that they have always burnt such exhibits after obtaining court injunction – order – to do so and each time they did, such events are always in the media space.
He applauded NNS Beecroft Commander for his foresight and synergy, adding that such collaboration would be sustained to ensure traffickers do not have access to getting the youths involved thereby destroying their future.
“NNS Beecroft is our biggest collaborator in the fight against drug abuse and trafficking in Lagos. We believe this synergy will continue until we get all the perpetrators and those behind them – sponsoring drug abuse – arrested and deny them access to the future of our nation.
On the health implication of burning seized drugs in the public space, DCN Adejumo Ayo added, “We go far away from the town in doing it, where there are no inhabitants. For now, there is no other alternative than burning. The agency is working towards having a better alternative than what is going on now,” he added.
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