Nigeria arrests 22 Indian ship crew members in cocaine seizure
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Nigeria arrests 22 Indian ship crew members in cocaine seizure")
Representative Photo Photograph: (pexels)
The seizure was made on January 2 aboard MV Aruna Hulya, which "originated from the Marshall Islands," Femi Babafemi, spokesman for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), said in a statement.
Nigeria's drug enforcement agency Sunday (Jan 04) said it had arrested 22 Indian crew members of a merchant ship after 31.5 kilogrammes of cocaine was found on the vessel at Lagos's main port.
The seizure was made on January 2 aboard MV Aruna Hulya, which "originated from the Marshall Islands," Femi Babafemi, spokesman for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), said in a statement.
Nigeria has long been considered a trafficking and production hub for drugs bound for Europe and other African countries.
The agency said in November that it arrested 20 Filipino sailors caught ferrying at least 20 kilogrammes of cocaine from Brazil to the same port.
Earlier that month, NDLEA said it was working with US and British anti-drug agencies to investigate a cartel behind the importation of 1,000 kilograms of cocaine discovered in a container at a Lagos port.
Over 30 killed, several kidnapped in Nigeria
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In a separate incident, armed gangs killed more than 30 people and kidnapped others in a raid in Nigeria in the same state where hundreds of schoolchildren were abducted late last year, police said Sunday.
The gangs swept into Kasuwan Daji village, in the Kabe district of the western Niger State on Saturday and set a market ablaze, before looting shops for food, they said.
"Over 30 victims lost their lives during the attack, some persons were also kidnapped," Wasiu Abiodun, Niger state police spokesman said.
President Bola Tinubu's office said the attackers may have been "terrorists" fleeing from parts of northwestern Nigeria followed Christmas Day airstrikes by the United States that targeted militants linked to the Islamic State group.
The attackers "will be caught and brought to justice", along with any who helped them, Tinubu vowed in a statement relayed by his media adviser Bayo Onanuga.
Images viewed by AFP showed some of those killed in the raid had their hands tied behind their backs.
Gangs -- known in Nigeria as "bandits" -- frequently carry out mass kidnappings for ransom and loot villages in parts of Nigeria.
Niger state has been one of the hardest hit in recent months.
In November, armed gangs seized more than 250 students and staff from a Catholic school in the state.
Authorities announced their release in two batches weeks later, without saying whether a ransom was paid.
The latest attack took place less than 20 kilometres (12 miles) from Papiri village where the students and teachers were snatched from their school.
The local church for the area put the death toll from Saturday's raid at more than 40, higher than the figure given by police.
"Reports indicate the bandits operated for hours with no security presence," the Catholic Church in Kontagora said on its Facebook page.
