By Correspondent in Lokoja.
The Joint Security Task Force (JTF) in Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State has arrested the Chairman of the Okada Riders Association, Ejiba Branch, for allegedly supplying hard drugs to criminal gangs terrorizing the area.
The development was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the Chief Press Secretary of Yagba West Local Government Council, Adeyemi Babarinde Sunday.
He identified the suspect as Owoloja Femi, an indigene of Ejiba, who was apprehended around 7:30 p.m. on Saturday during a routine patrol in Odo-Eri, along Saminaka Road.
According to the statement, the suspect was intercepted while transporting illicit substances believed to be destined for armed bandits.
Security operatives said Owoloja’s accomplices fled into the bush on a motorcycle after offloading two cartons of suspected hard drugs, leaving him behind as he attempted to escape where he was captured on the spot.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect confessed to sourcing the drugs from a chemist shop in Egbe before delivering them to criminal elements hiding in the forest.
He was also found with ₦600,000, believed to be either proceeds of the illegal trade or operational funds for the supply chain.
Sunday added that the suspect is currently in custody as investigations intensify to expose his sponsors, collaborators, and the wider drug-distribution network aiding banditry in Yagba West.
The Executive Chairman of Yagba West LGA and Chairman of Kogi State ALGON, Hon. Tosin Olokun, praised the JTF for its swift and decisive operation, noting that the council remains committed to dismantling criminal logistics routes and safeguarding communities.
Olokun warned residents against aiding or associating with criminal groups, stressing that anyone found culpable would be handed over to the appropriate security agencies for prosecution.
Our correspondent reports that Yagba West has recently become a hotspot for bandit activities, as criminals fleeing intensified security pressure in Kwara and Niger States have found refuge in the area due to its strategic location and porous borders.
The Reporters reports the Kogi State Government has intensified pressure on bandits and other criminal elements through heightened security surveillance, improved intelligence gathering, and boosted morale of security operatives,making the state an increasingly hostile ground for criminals.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
