ASP, lover arrested with 5,000 wraps of Indian hemp

The Delta State Police Command has arrested an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) and his lover for allegedly trafficking Indian hemp along Benin-Asaba-Onitsha Expressway.

The ASP, names withheld, was arrested along the expressway, in his Toyota Camry car. The car was loaded with the suspected substance. It was gathered that the ASP was shot while attempting to evade arrest on Friday.

It was further gathered that the suspect, who was behind the wheel, was with his woman friend. She is believed to be the owner of the contraband product.

The ASP and his lover alleged to have attempted to speed away after they got to the popular Mariam Babangida Way Junction and sighted policemen on ‘Stop and Search’ duty.

The attempt of the lovers to escape failed as the police chased opened fire on their fleeing car and finally caught up with them.

They were arrested after the NNPC Mega station. The fleeing car somersaulted and was forced to halt after the police pumped bullets into the tyres. The car somersaulted twice.

When the car halted, policemen frisked the occupants and car and discovered the identity card of the male occupant as a senior police officer.

The lovers didn’t die, but the ASP sustained severe injuries. He was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Asaba.

A police source at the Okpanam Divisional Police Headquarters, said: "We’re yet to get medical update on the suspect."
The police source, who said the Indian hemp was wrapped in smoking sizes and arranged in batches, estimated that the whole quantity to be around 5,000 rolls.

The police source alleged that the ASP had been aiding the woman with the illegal business for years.

Policemen who were on the scene of the case and subsequent accident, said they were shocked when the crawled out of the car and immediately picked her phone, calling an unknown person.

She was said to have threatened the receiver at the top of her voice and ended thus, “Una fuck us up abi? No problems, we shall see."
The accident attracted mammoth crowd before the police squad dragged the car to the nearby police station.

Reacting to the case, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Andrew Aniamaka, said: “I am not aware of any such report about any of our officers. However, be rest assured that should any officer be found to have infringed on the law, there are internal mechanisms in place to sanction them. And of course, you already know that the Delta State Commissioner of Police, Zanna M, Ibrahim is a no nonsense officer. He will not condone any act of indiscipline from anybody."