Troops of the Nigerian Army’s 6 Brigade, in joint operation with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), have arrested two suspects caught impersonating police officers while transporting over a thousand blocks of cannabis in Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State.
The arrest, which was made during a routine patrol under Operation Lafiya Nakowa, took place at Takum Junction, a key road intersection in southern Taraba.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday by the Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Lt. Umar Muhammad, the suspects were travelling in two Toyota Hilux vehicles loaded with 1,134 blocks of substances suspected to be cannabis sativa.
The suspects, who were dressed in mobile police uniforms, were later identified as Monday George, a 71-year-old dismissed Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), and Ezeugo Destiny Uche, aged 41.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that neither of the two men is a serving member of the Nigerian Police Force,” the statement said.
The army disclosed that the cannabis was being transported from Akure, Ondo State, and was believed to be headed to Adamawa State before the interception.
A second Hilux vehicle suspected to be part of the same drug convoy was also spotted during the operation. However, the occupants abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene on sighting the troops.
The arrested suspects and the recovered vehicles were handed over to the NDLEA office in Wukari for further investigation and prosecution.
Brigadier General Kingsley Chidiebere Uwa, Commander of the 6 Brigade, praised the collaborative efforts between the military and the NDLEA. He described the operation as a “clear example of what can be achieved when security agencies work together with commitment and professionalism.”
He also reaffirmed the army’s determination to rid Taraba State of criminal elements, particularly those who exploit security uniforms and identities to carry out illegal activities.
General Uwa urged the people of Taraba to remain vigilant and support security operations by reporting suspicious movements or criminal activity in their communities.
“Timely and credible information from the public is critical in helping us prevent crimes and maintain peace in the state,” he said.
This interception adds to a growing list of successful drug busts and anti-crime operations being carried out across Nigeria as security agencies ramp up their efforts to combat trafficking, impersonation, and organized crime.
The NDLEA has in recent months intensified its crackdown on drug trafficking networks across the country, particularly along inter-state routes in the North-East and South-West.
Taraba State has in recent years become a transit route for drug trafficking due to its strategic location between the southern production hubs and northern consumption markets.
The arrest of a 71-year-old dismissed police officer in such a high-volume drug transport operation is likely to raise further questions about how ex-security personnel are being used by criminal groups to smuggle drugs across state lines.
Authorities say investigations are ongoing to uncover the wider network behind the intercepted cannabis haul and to apprehend the fleeing suspects.
