Rice farmer with 74.5kg cannabis arrested by NDLEA

                               

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have apprehended a rice farmer for allegedly dealing in cannabis.

The agency’s Head of Public Affairs, Ofoyeju Mitchell, said that the suspect, 45-year-old Usani Ibiang, was arrested in Ugep, Cross River State with dried weeds, which tested positive to cannabis, weighing about 74.5kg.

Mitchell noted that the arrest of Ibiang is a timely warning to other drug dealers that their days are numbered.Confirming the arrest, NDLEA Cross River State commander, Mrs. Anthonia Edeh, stated that money was also recovered from the suspect during the raid.

“Based on information on the criminal sales of drugs by one Usani Ibiang, we raided his premises where he was apprehended with dried weeds that tested positive for cannabis with a total weight of 74.5kgs.

“In addition, the sum of N880, 000 believed to be proceeds of drug trafficking was also recovered from him. The money had been tendered as exhibit and we have applied for an interim forfeiture at the Federal High Court,” Edeh said.

In a statement made to the agency, the suspect confessed to dealing in illicit drugs business due to wrong advice from friends.

He also explained that he took to drug smuggling when the rice mill where he worked at a time shut down, throwing him into the labour market.

“Life was so difficult that I could not provide for my wife and three children. It was in the process of searching for other means of livelihood that I was wrongly advised by friends to smuggle drugs. This is my first time of being arrested and I regret my action,” Ibiang said.

Reacting to Ibiang’s arrest, Acting Chairman, NDLEA, Mrs. Roli Bode-George, noted that unemployment was not an excuse for drug trafficking.

She disclosed that the suspect would be charged for unlawful possession and dealing in cannabis, and that if convicted, he could be sentenced to life imprisonment in line with the NDLEA Act.

“The recovered money will also be forfeited. By doing this, drug trafficking will become unattractive,” she stated.