By Esther Onyegbula, Lucky Nwanekwu, Amaka Okpala & Onyedi Ofulue

The driver of a truck loaded with 30 cartons of tramadol concealed in vehicle’s spare parts, intercepted by policemen attached to Trade-Fair Division, Lagos State Police Command, said he was paid N70,000 to deliver the drugs.

The driver and his conductor were arrested with the drug during a stop-and-search operation on the Mile 2-Badagry Expressway.

Speaking with journalists during their parade, yesterday, by the Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, the driver, Ekwe Ejike, said the consignment was arranged by a client named Ejike, who wanted them delivered to their customers here in Lagos.

He said: “As a driver, I travel to different parts of the country to load goods for clients, which I deliver to the designated locations. Different clients engage my services to deliver their goods to Lagos.

“I have given the Police all the details of Mr. Ejike, who paid me to make the delivery. The number of the owner of the goods is boldly written on the bag which contained the drugs. The Police have made contact with him, but I don’t know how far they have gone.

“Frankly, I didn’t know the client hid tramadol inside the bag. The other goods are motor spare parts. The goods inside the truck belong to different people. Ejike told me it is motor spare parts that he packed inside the bags.”

Speaking on how they were arrested, the Commissioner of Police said: “On June 29, a team of policemen attached to Trade-fair Division, while on a stop-and-search operation, intercepted a Scania 220 truck with number plates FST-450-OD, loaded with 30 cartons of tramadol 100mg capsules, neatly concealed under motor spare parts.

“In spite of the fact that the drugs were carefully concealed, the eagle-eyed Police operatives were able to detect the illegal consignment. The driver of the truck and his conductor were arrested and the truck recovered for further investigation.

“Let me reiterate that the Command will not rest on its oars until our streets are rid of hard drugs. The reward for hard work is hard work. Our children must be saved from the evil effects of illicit drugs. Suspects will definitely be taken to court.”

The drugs

4 robbers nabbed

The commissioner also said the Command had arrested four robbery suspects at Magbon, Badagry area of the state.

According to him, “on June 29, the same day the command intercepted a truck laden with tramadol capsules, our operatives at the Magbon end arrested a gang of four armed robbery suspects.

“These dare-devil robbers, who had been terrorising Magbon, Badagry and environs, had been under our radar until luck ran out on them when they attacked one Cletus Odom at Magbon Junction, Badagry, Lagos.

“They snatched N250,000 from the said Cletus Odom at gunpoint.

“However, while the operation was ongoing, a good Nigerian watching from a safe distance, placed a call to the DPO in charge of Morogbo Division, who quickly rushed to the scene with his men.

“They engaged the robbers, forcing them to retreat into a nearby swamp where they were arrested.

“Recovered from them are one locally-made double-barreled pistol loaded with two live cartridges; a motorcycle with number plates MUS 330 OJ, which they used during the operation, and the stolen N250,000.

“The suspects will be charged to court as soon as investigation is completed.”