A 27-year-old dispatch rider, Magaji Adamu, has been taken into custody by operatives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command for allegedly transporting multiple cartons of nitrous oxide, commonly referred to as laughing gas, within Abuja.
The arrest was confirmed by the FCT Police Commissioner, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, who provided details to journalists. According to him, Adamu was intercepted while conveying the substance, suspected to be intended for illegal distribution.
Rider works for a logistics company
Police reports indicate that the suspect, a graduate of Gidan Waya College of Education in Kafanchan, Kaduna State, was detained on January 20, 2024, during a routine patrol. Upon questioning, he disclosed that he worked as a dispatch rider for a logistics platform, delivering packages on request.
Further investigations revealed that this was not the first time Adamu had been found transporting nitrous oxide. Officers discovered that he had been apprehended on three previous occasions while carrying similar consignments.
Each time, he reportedly received instructions from an individual identified as Mr. Danladi.
Providing further insight into the suspect’s activities, the police commissioner stated:
“During interrogation, Adamu explained that Mr. Danladi would contact him and direct him to collect the package near a police station in Jabi, Abuja, before making deliveries. He was usually paid N5,000 per trip.”
Suspect convinced substance is for medical use
Adamu, who had moved to Abuja in December 2024, initially believed the substance was meant for medical use, as Danladi allegedly informed him that hospitals utilized the gas. However, after discovering its actual purpose, he chose to cooperate with law enforcement, leading officers to his residence, where additional quantities were recovered.
The police command has launched further investigations to trace the source and distribution network of the substance.
Authorities are particularly concerned about the rise in recreational abuse of nitrous oxide, which is not classified as an illegal narcotic but has been linked to health hazards and misuse among young people.
The police commissioner assured the public that efforts were ongoing to dismantle any illegal supply chain associated with the distribution of the substance. He also urged residents to report suspicious activities, particularly those involving controlled or potentially harmful substances.
13-year-old pupil threatens schoolmates with father’s gun
Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that a young pupil in Akwa Ibom state had landed in police custody for reportedly threatening fellow students in his school.
The commissioner of police (CP), Akwa Ibom state, Baba Mohammed Azare, confirmed this development to the press on Wednesday and shared the Force’s next action.
