Pubdate: Fri, 16 May 2003 Source: Vanguard (Nigeria) Copyright: 2003 Vanguard. Contact: http://www.vanguardngr.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2890 Authors: Emma Amaize, Osaro Okhomina INDIAN HEMP FARMERS ENGAGE NDLEA OFFICERS IN SHOOT-OUT A GANG of Indian hemp farmers, last Thursday, engaged men of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Edo State in a fierce shoot-out at Ugbogie community. No casualty was recorded but two of the suspects were arrested with two dane guns, 15 rounds of live cartridges, a battle axe, two motorcycles and some quantity of Indian hemp, while three escaped. Area Commander of the NDLEA in Benin City, Mr. Harriman Manuwa who confirmed the shoot-out while speaking to newsmen yesterday, disclosed that "the suspects and their gang are notorious Indian hemp farmers in Ugbogie forest who use their arms to guard their farms and their farm produce. "Information also have it that they kill people who get close to the area where they farm their Indian hemp, believing that they must be spies and also rob timber merchants that go into the forest for their legitimate timber business," he said. Besides the Ugbogie hemp farmers, he said that three others were arrested at Uzogwo community with the produce from one of their harvested Indian hemp farms, adding that NDLEA men later took the suspects to the Uzogwo forest where their farms measuring several acres were destroyed. "Presently, the suspects and the exhibits are at our zonal headquarters in Warri, awaiting prosecution," he said. Manuwa also said that several bags of Indian hemp weighing 168.24 kilograms of Indian hemp were recovered from the house of one Sunny (surname withheld) when men of the NDLEA raided his home. He warned those engaged in the nefarious activity of illicit trafficking in drugs in the state to retrace their steps, otherwise, they run the risk of being vigorously pursued until they are apprehended and dealt with according to the due process of law. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens