Police Reject ₦500m Bribe, Seize Suspected Canadian Loud Worth ₦7.8bn

Police operatives in Lagos rejected a ₦500 million bribe and seized suspected Canadian Loud worth ₦7.8 billion during a major operation targeting a drug trafficking syndicate.

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force attached to Zone 2 Command have uncovered a major drug trafficking syndicate in Lagos, recovering suspected illicit drugs valued at about ₦7.8 billion.

The operation led to the arrest of several suspects, including the alleged kingpin, Eke Henry Ifeanyi.

The raid was carried out by officers of the Special Protection Unit in collaboration with divisional police detectives after months of surveillance and intelligence gathering coordinated by the Zone 2 Headquarters.

Police said the operation took place at an apartment located within an estate in Mende, Maryland area of Lagos, where hundreds of bags of suspected Canadian Loud were allegedly stored.

Addressing journalists on Saturday, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 2, Olohundare Jimoh, disclosed that the prime suspect was arrested on May 19 following weeks of strategic monitoring by operatives.

According to him, the operation received technical support and guidance from the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu.

Jimoh revealed that the suspect allegedly offered a ₦500 million bribe to the commander of the Special Protection Unit in an attempt to compromise the operation and allow the drug consignment to be moved.

“The suspect offered ₦500 million to the SPU commander in an attempt to make the team stand down and allow him to contact his associates to move the consignment elsewhere. The offer was rejected immediately and properly documented for further investigation,” he said.

The police chief described the officers’ actions as a demonstration of professionalism, discipline and integrity within the Force.

He added that the success of the operation highlighted the effectiveness of intelligence-led policing and collaboration between specialised units and divisional teams.

Reacting to the development, IGP Disu commended the operatives for rejecting the bribe and maintaining due process throughout the operation.

“The professionalism shown by the SPU commander in rejecting a ₦500 million bribe and following due procedure is the standard we expect,” the police chief stated.

Police authorities said the recovered exhibits have been documented and will be presented in court, while investigations continue to track down other members of the drug trafficking network.