FCT police arrest dispatch rider transporting ‘illicit drugs’ in Abuja

The FCT Police command has arrested a 27-year-old dispatch rider, Magaji Adamu, for allegedly transporting multiple cartons of nitrous oxide, commonly known as “laughing gas,” suspected to be used for illegal purposes.

Adamu, a graduate of Gidan Waya College of Education, Kafanchan, Kaduna, was apprehended on January 20, 2024, during a routine patrol in Abuja. Upon interrogation, he admitted to working as a dispatch rider for a logistics platform called Gonymble since December 2024. He stated that this was his fourth time delivering the substance, which was always handed over to him by a man identified as Mr. Danladi.

According to Adamu, Mr. Danladi would call him and instruct him to pick up the packages near a police station in Jabi, Abuja, for delivery. Each delivery reportedly earned him N5,000.

Adamu, who recently relocated to Abuja in December, claimed he was initially unaware of the true nature of the substance. He said Danladi told him the gas was used in hospitals. However, upon realizing its actual purpose, he cooperated with law enforcement and led officers to his residence, where additional quantities were recovered.

On July 11, 2023, a sister agency had previously mandated a nationwide crackdown on the illegal sale and misuse of nitrous oxide. It instructed law enforcement agencies to take swift action against its distribution in response to increasing concerns over its recreational use.

The directive came after a viral photo of a Nigerian rapper holding a balloon surfaced on social media, sparking controversy. Many online users speculated that the image depicted the use of laughing gas, which has become popular among young people.

Nitrous oxide, commonly used for medical sedation and food processing, can produce short-lived euphoria, giggling, hallucinations, and lightheadedness when inhaled. However, prolonged abuse can lead to serious health risks, including memory loss, depression, lowered blood pressure, oxygen deprivation, nerve damage, heart complications

Although Nigeria lacks official data on fatalities linked to laughing gas abuse, the UK’s Office for National Statistics reported that between 2001 and 2020, nitrous oxide was linked to 56 deaths, with 45 occurring after 2010.

Confirming the arrest, the FCT Police Command spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, warns residents, particularly those engaged in logistics and delivery services, to exercise caution and due diligence in their business dealings. Criminal elements often exploit unsuspecting individuals to transport illegal substances, putting them at risk of legal consequences.