A state agency has praised residents of the Bajallabe community in Kano metropolis after reportedly rejecting a ₦10 million bribe and exposing an alleged drug trafficking network in the neighbourhood.
The state’s Multi-Agency Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Substances’ spokesperson, Lamara Garba, in a statement, said the incident happened on Tuesday when community members noticed a Volkswagen Golf vehicle loaded with suspected illicit substances, alongside a motorcycle, near a residential building.
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Suspicious of the vehicle’s contents, residents approached the driver for clarification. In a desperate bid to evade scrutiny, Garba said the suspect allegedly offered a ₦10 million inducement to community representatives and local vigilantes.
He said the offer was swiftly rejected, with the residents insisting on turning the case over to the proper authorities.
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“To avert potential violence as tension escalated at the scene, the local vigilante chairman alerted both the task force and the Rijiyar Zaki Police Division. Police personnel arrived promptly, secured the vehicle and motorcycle, and took the suspects into custody for preliminary investigation.
“Confirming the development, the Chairman of the Multi-Agency Task Force, Muhyi Magaji, lauded the residents and vigilantes for their integrity and civic responsibility.
“Their refusal to compromise despite a massive financial offer demonstrates that communities play a pivotal role in eradicating drug trafficking,” Magaji stated.
He added that, in compliance with a recently signed Executive Order by Governor Abba Yusuf, the property where the substances were discovered will be sealed immediately pending further action.
The agency said it had sent samples of the confiscated materials for forensic laboratory examination to ascertain their exact chemical composition.
Kano’s war against illicit drugs
The Kano State Government established the Multi-Agency Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Substances as an inter-agency coalition comprising security outfits, regulatory bodies, and civil society groups.
The task force is mandated to interdict, raid, and dismantle major distribution hubs, warehouses, and open markets used for illegal drug sales across the 44 local government areas of Kano State.
READ ALSO: UPDATED: NDLEA destroys N301 billion worth of illicit drugs in Lagos
It is also mandated to implement strict anti-drug laws, including the immediate confiscation and sealing of properties or structures utilised for storing, packaging, or selling illicit substances.
The agency urged residents across the state to emulate the Bajallabe community by reporting suspicious activities to law enforcement rather than taking the law into their own hands.
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