…As NDLEA arrests 28 – year old drug dealer with 296.8kg of cannabis***
Comrade Adams Oshiomole, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says Nigerian borders with neighbouring countries should remain closed until they comply with ECOWAS protocols.
Oshiomole stated this when he paid a solidarity visit on Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), retired Col. Hameed Ali on Thursday in Abuja.
He explained that his party is strongly behind the border closure and all other reforms being carried out by the service.
He added that such action should be sustained for economic growth of the country.
He said the APC under his leadership is impressed and has resolved to identify with the NCS on the feat recorded so far.
“The state must have control over the economy and Nigeria is absolutely right in taking the decision having been victims of expired rice brought in through the porous borders.
“It is a shame that after spending much to reposition agriculture, we still allow people to import expired rice into our country.
“We are lucky to have a president who told us to consume what we produce in the country in order to grow our economy.
Also read: Border Closure: Customs meet Rice farmers in Kaduna, to protect local farmers
” People are complaining that the prices of food commodities have gone up, our farmers should make money from their sweat.
“Over the years, farmers got good harvest, sometime with right prices but smugglers often crash the prices,” he said.
The chairman urged Nigerians to go into farming and take advantage of the current good price of food produce.
He said the policy of Buhari led government would eradicate poverty and take prosperity to the rural people.
According to him, Nigeria as a country comes first, second and third before any other thing, there are rules of the game and the rules must be followed.
“NCS is a critical organisation to ensure we do not export prosperity abroad and import poverty to the country.
” Yes, Nigeria is a big brother to other African countries and the big brother should not be poisoned through the importation of expired rice to the country.
“Buhari’s support base is the masses, the commoners and this policy is for them, that is why we are supporting it,” he added.
Ali while responding thanked the APC chairman for identifying with the service in the step taken to boost the economy of the country.
He said the border closure had boosted the nation’s revenue and also reduced the rate of insecurity in the country.
Ali stated that the borders would remain closed until neighbouring countries comply with the ECOWAS protocols on transit which they have all signed.
In the meantime, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Command in Gombe State has arrested a 28 -year old businessman, Ismail Yusuf for being in possession of 296.8 kilograms of cannabis.
Mr Aliyu Adole, the state’s NDLEA Commander disclosed this while speaking with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Gombe.
Adole said that the suspect was arrested on Thursday at about 4.00 a.m., with the substance in his house.
“Early this morning we went out for an operation and we successfully arrested a big drug dealer in town.
“We have been monitoring him for some time and thank God we were able to seize 296.8 kilograms of cannabis, about 341 blocks,” he said.
Adole said that the arrest was the second in three months.
“This is the second time in three months that we have arrested a suspected hard drug dealer with high quantity of drug.
“The last suspect was arrested with 321 kilograms of hard drugs which is about 401 blocks,” he said.
Adole called on residents of the state to assist the agency in the fight against drug abuse by giving useful information.
Speaking with newsmen, the suspect said he got the supply from his boss who resides in Abuja.
He said this was his first time in the business adding that he got involved in order to get money for taking care of his two pregnant wives and three children.
