The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibadan zonal office, has arrested a 60-year-old farmer for allegedly attempting to smuggle substance suspected to be illicit drug for his son currently in its custody.
The commission, in a statement issued by its acting Spokesperson, Tony Orilade, and made available to newsmen on Tuesday in Ibadan, said the suspect had allegedly attempted to smuggle the substance during a visit to his detained son.
Orilade said that the suspect was at the premises of the EFCC in Ibadan on Feb. 17, supposedly to visit his detained son.
He said that an official of the commission had, during a discussion with the suspect, noticed that he brought out a sachet of tablets and handed same to him.
Orilade said that the officer, on noticing, raised the alarm, which led to the confiscation of the drug.
He said that the assessment carried out on the substance by the commission’s in-house nurse revealed that it was Rohypnol, a tranquilizer used under strict prescription for treatment of severe insomnia, including assisting in anesthesia.
Orilade said that the drug was said to possess high sedative effect and was rarely used, except when prescribed by licensed medical officers.
He said that the detained son of the suspect was recently arrested after a criminal case of money laundering detected in the UK was reported against him.
The EFCC spokesperson said that the case involved £45,000, a fragment of a wider one involving about £500,000 for which he had been declared wanted by the London Metropolitan Police.
Orilade said that the detainee had been on the wanted list of the International Police (Interpol) before the petition was filed at the EFCC, Ibadan zonal office.
According to him, officers of the Nigerian Interpol were already in contact with the commission in respect of the said case, before the suspect’s father attempted to smuggle in the drug for him.
Orilade said that further investigations were ongoing, adding that the commission intended to hand over the suspect to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for possible prosecution over possession of narcotic. (NAN)
