10 Hectares of Indian hemp farmland worth N2b discovered in Ondo

SIX persons including two blood brothers have been arrested by Police intelligent officers in Ondo state over the discovery of ten hectares of farmland where substances suspected to be Indian hemp worth about N2billion were planted.
Led by the state Police Commissioner Alhaji Sani Mogaji, the police officers numbering about fifty invaded the farm and destroyed the substances discovered in a thick forest in Emure Ile in Owo Council area of the state.
Speaking with newsmen after handing over the farm to members of the NDLEA in the state, police commissioner said that the farm were discovered by his men after trailing the suspects for days.

A cannabis farm burnt by NDLEA officails

Those arrested, who were workers on the farm , include Stephen Akpan 28 and Ezekiel Akpan 19,( blood brothers) Idowu Obi 25, Raphael John 21, Abdukarim Raimi 28,  and Lucky Obi 24.
None of the suspects is from the state or other neighbouring states in the region they hailed from Delta, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi and Kogi states.
The blood brothers said during an interview that they decided to engage in the illicit business to cater for their sick mother.
While Ezekiel said that he is a JSS1 student, his brother Stephen said he is a farmer. All the suspects have given confessional statement that would lead to the arrest of the barons who engaged them on the farm.
The Police Commissioner said that the farms which were discovered in a thick forest in Emure Ile following a network of the police information and investigation in the state.
Mogaji said that his command with the collaboration of the Officials of the NDLEA in the state is out to check the illicit business.
He called on the government to constitute a task force that would be able to penetrate into the forest where the barons plant and cultivate the substances.
Mogagi accompanied by his Deputy Henry Fadairo said that the influx of non indigenes that perpetuate the illicit business across the state was worrisome.
But he said that his command is ready to give the barons a good fight in a bid to outrun them from the state adding that the economic implication of the destruction of nutrientional and  economic-trees  was colossal to the state.
Mogaji noted that non indigenes have made the state their abode to plant and cultivate the substances even as he appealed to traditional rulers in the states to ask questions whenever a large parcel of land is purchased by the baron who pose as business men.
The leader of the NDLEA Aya Joshua who is Principal staff Officer said that the Agency would continue to collaborate with other security operatives to rid the state of the activities of the barons.

Source : Vanguard