Police in Jigawa have arrested an absconded army corporal found in possession of 169 blocks of marijuana in Ringim Local Government Area of the state.
Jigawa police commissioner, Bala Sanchi, told journalists on Wednesday that the suspect was part of the war against Boko Haram but absconded from service seven months ago.
Mr Sanchi said the suspect was arrested on September 17 at about 2:30 pm by men of the ‘Operation Puff Adder, along Sankara-Amaguwa road in Ringim LGA.He said the suspect was with a Toyota Camry vehicle with registration number KTU 833 DK.
According to him, the offence is contrary to section 96 of the penal code and section 5 (b) of the Indian hemp Act cap 16 LFN.
“Based on the inquiry, they found that the vehicle somersaulted while on motion, and only one army personnel in uniform was the occupant,” he said.
“While searching the accident car, the men recovered 169 blocks of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp.
“And they arrested one person in army uniform by name Cpl. Muzambilu Abdullahi who was in the war against Boko Haram but absconded from the service seven months ago.”
According to Sanchi, during investigation, the suspect claimed to have been invited by one Alhaji Abubakar of Lokoja, Kogi to escort him to Maigatari town in Jigawa.
“Abdullahi claimed that he did not know that Alhaji Abubakar was carrying Indian hemp in the vehicle,” he said.
“And when asked about the Alhaji, the suspect stated that he has escaped to unknown destination after the accident.”
He said that the police mounted surveillance the following day around the scene of the accident and arrested some persons occupying a Golf 4 car with registration number AE 94 KUR.
He named them as Nura Mohammed and Abubakar Ahmed both of Gidan Gawo quarters in Gumel LGA.
“During interrogation, the suspects confessed that they were there looking for the number plate of the accident vehicle. They further said they were among the Indian hemp dealers in Gumel,” the CP said.
He also said, on September 24 when the police were on patrol and surveillance in Sankara village in Ringim local government area, they arrested one AbdusSalam Sabo with four blocks of Indian hemp. Upon interrogation, the suspect stated that he bought it from one Rabi’u AbdusSalam.
“Further investigation revealed that the said AbdusSalam stole the four blocks of the Indian hemp from the vehicle earlier involved in an accident before the arrival of the police and sold it to Sabo,” Sanchi said.
The CP said the case was still under investigation before it would be transferred to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
