Navy raids beach, recovers hard drugs from hoodlums

Posted by admin Armed Forces, Headlines Monday, April 23rd, 2012

In a bid to safeguard the nation’s waterways, the Nigerian Navy on Saturday raided the Marine Beach and its environs, arresting over 20 hoodlums and impounding hard drugs from them.

Other places raided were the Leventis Road, Dockyard Road, and places around rail crossing line behind the beach.

The naval authorities said all sorts of criminalities such as prostitution and gambling took place in the areas especially at night on a daily basis.

It said that the areas were havens for Indian hemp smokers and cocaine dealers, adding that they also served as take off point for armed robbers.

PUNCH Metro learnt that people had also built illegal structures in the areas while abandoned trucks and kiosks had been converted to living quarters.

The Information Officer, Western Naval Command, Lt. Commander Jerry Omodara, said the raid was the second in the last three weeks.

He said, “We had in recent past raided the place and arrested people with arms, cocaine and Indian hemp. In fact, on March 11, 2012, drug peddlers were arrested there and handed over to National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

“Only on Monday, April 16, 2012, 20 arrested criminals in the area were handed over to the Nigeria Police Area B Command, Apapa.

“The raid today (Saturday) was carried out in conjunction with the Apapa Local Government Waste Management and Environmental Service Department.”

During the raid, the hoodlums injured some of the LG officials and vandalised their vehicle. The victims were immediately rushed to the NNS Beecroft Sick Bay.

The Commander of NNS Beecroft, Commodore Martins Njoku, said the raid was aimed at reducing crimes along the nation’s waterways.

Njoku, who led the exercise, warned all those using the areas for illegalities to steer clear as the NN would not condone any form of illegality.

He further advised youths to avoid criminal acts and engage in activities that could bring honour to their families.

He said those arrested during the raid would be documented before being handed over to the police for prosecution.

-Punchwp_posts