The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in Cross River State has arrested a schoolteacher, Onun Ikoli, 52, and his wife, Itam Onun, after officers discovered 360 bags of cannabis in their home in Yakurr Local Government Area.
The bags, which weighed 4.706 tonnes, were recovered during a raid carried out by NDLEA operatives.
The State Commander of the NDLEA, John Anteyi, told journalists in Calabar on Wednesday that the couple claimed the drugs belonged to a tenant who escaped during the operation.
Anteyi said, “As I speak, the investigation is still ongoing. The NDLEA boss, Brigadier General Marwa, is determined to bring this illicit trade to an end. Our ears are still on the ground to arrest more suspects.”
He added that the couple insisted they had no link to the stash, explaining that the tenant had paid N50,000 for a single room.
Ikoli told reporters that he was innocent, saying his hands were clean.
His wife also denied any involvement. She said, “I was arrested and brought here because I am the landlady. My husband and I collected N50,000 for a single room from a tenant, unknown to us that he was a drug dealer.”
The commander thanked Governor Bassey Otu for his continued support to the agency’s operations and urged residents to provide useful information that can help curb drug trafficking in the state.
The latest arrest comes weeks after the NDLEA dismantled two major drug cartels linked to six cocaine shipments meant for the United Kingdom. During that operation, six suspects, including an alleged kingpin, Alhaji Hammed Ode, were detained.
