By Gabriel Enogholase

BENIN—A Senior Secondary School 3 student (names withheld) has claimed that a bag of substance suspected to be Indian hemp found on him when he was arrested, was given to him by his grandfather.

The student, who was among some suspects paraded by the Edo State Police Command, said he was sent away from school because of his inability to pay school fees.

He was arrested at a brothel in Lampese, Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of the state, where he apparently went to sell the drug. He alleged that his grandfather gave him the drugs to sell.

He said: “I am not a cultist. I am in SS3 and I also do aluminium work. I was sent away from school because of school fees. I went to ask my grandfather for school fees and he gave me the Indian hemp to keep.

“It is my grandfather that is into the business. I went to see him for my school fees and he asked me to wait and that I will leave for school the following day. When he was called for a meeting, he gave me the Indian hemp.”

Also paraded was a dreaded cultist, who is said to have carried out cult-related killings within Third East Circular and Ogie areas in Benin.

Items recovered from him were two locally-made guns, two live cartridges and one battle axe.

Edo State Commissioner of Police, Haliru Gwandu, said the suspects would soon be charged to court.