Metro
Abuja Police Nab Dispatch Rider With Cartons Of Laughing Gas
By Benjamin Abioye
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The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police have arrested a 27-year-old dispatch rider, Magaji Adamu, for allegedly transporting multiple cartons of nitrous oxide, commonly known as “laughing gas,” which is suspected to be intended for illegal use.
In a statement issued on Thursday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, it was revealed that the arrest took place on January 20, 2024, during a routine patrol in the territory.
Adamu, a graduate of Gidan Waya College of Education in Kafanchan, Kaduna, admitted to being a dispatch rider for a logistics company called Gonymble since December 2023. He also confessed that this was his fourth delivery of the substance, which he always received from a man identified as Mr. Danladi.
The suspect explained that Mr. Danladi would call him and instruct him to pick up the packages near a police station in Jabi, Abuja, for delivery. He further mentioned that each delivery earned him N5,000. Adamu, who had recently moved to Abuja, claimed that he was initially unaware of the true nature of the gas, as Danladi had told him it was used in hospitals.
In light of the growing misuse of nitrous oxide, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) had earlier directed law enforcement agencies to take action against the illegal sale and distribution of the substance. This move followed a viral image of a Nigerian rapper holding a balloon, which raised concerns about the recreational use of laughing gas.
While nitrous oxide is commonly used for medical purposes such as sedation and in food processing, inhaling it can cause short-lived euphoria, giggling, hallucinations, and lightheadedness. However, prolonged abuse of the gas can lead to serious health risks, including memory loss, depression, nerve damage, oxygen deprivation, heart complications, and lowered blood pressure.
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