Hyacinth Chinweuba
Troops of 102 Guards Battalion of Guards Brigade, Nigerian Army (NA), have arrested four suspects in possession of huge quantity of illicit drugs, along Abuja-Suleja Road.
In a statement by Captain Haruna Tagwai, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Nigerian Army Guards Brigade, the troops, who were deployed for routine duties in support of the ongoing efforts to enforce lockdown in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), arrested the suspects with contraband in a Mercedes Benz salon car with registration number ABC 3790 MG, on the 19 April 2020.
According to the statement, “Preliminary investigation conducted revealed the identity of 2 occupants of the vehicle conveying the contraband to be service personnels.
However, during the investigation Mr Obinna Ifekonma alleged to be the owner of the substance while Chinonso Benedict was the driver when they were arrested.
The arrested service personnel are in own custody for further investigation while the two civilians and the exhibits have been handed over to National Drug Law Enforcement Agency FCT Abuja for further investigation and prosecution.”
It added that, “The investigation unfolded the fact that the drug syndicate have been operating for a while. More worrisome was an attempt to bribe the investigation team with the sum of Two million two hundred thousand naira.
This was resisted and the bribe givers arrested and handed over to NDLEA on 24 April 2020 for further prosecution. The Brigade wishes to inform the general public of its professional disposition in discharging its statutory responsibilities in the FCT.”
In another development, the Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory, Hajiya Ramatu Tijani Aliyu, has donated relief materials, mainly food items to hundreds of widows at the Guards Brigade Garrison, in Mambilla Barracks.
Presenting the items to the beneficiaries yesterday, Haj. Ramatu Tijjani, said her gesture was geared towards cushioning the effect of COVID -19 in the barracks community.
She explained that the palliative was targeted at widows in the barracks who are struggling and also facing serious hardship in their homes, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Minister, used the occasion to appreciate the tireless efforts and invaluable sacrifices made by officers and men of the Nigerian Armed Forces, to guarantee peace and security in the country.
This, she said, informed “the decision to extend this gesture to the barracks community.” Receiving the items on behalf of the Brigade, the Chief of Staff, Colonel Kasim Sidi, who represented the Brigade Commander, profoundly thanked the Minister for making it possible for the barracks community to benefit from the palliative.
He assured that the food packages will be judiciously utilized to support widows in the barracks. The items received include 400 cartoons of indomie, 400 packs of water, 200 packs of soft drinks, 400 packs of gala snacks and 400 bags of 5kg rice.