He was found with charas, arrested
TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
PORVORIM: In an incident which threatened to sour relations between locals and the Nigerian community for the second time in two months, a 33-year-old Nigerian national was involved in a road mishap on Friday and was later found to be allegedly in possession of drugs. He has been arrested in this connection.
The incident has evoked sharp reaction from Calangute MLA Michael Lobo, who was unhappy that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s assurance to set up a special police team to keep a vigil on foreigners moving suspiciously in the coastal belt had been virtually forgotten.
According to Mapusa Police, Kaya Kofi Nani was speeding on his scooter (GA-03-K-0220) from Saligao to Parra when he collided with an oncoming scooter (GA-03-J-9226), driven by one George Remedios. Both riders sustained injuries in the mishap.
Eyewitnesses told Herald that the Nigerian then contacted some of his Goan friends, who rushed to the site. At that time, onlookers warned the Goan friends to disperse from the site.
Police further informed that the Nigerian national was carrying drugs in his pocket and he tried to hide the packet in some roadside bushes.
Finding his actions suspicious, onlookers confronted him and allegedly manhandled him, before intimating Calangute MLA Michael Lobo and the police of the incident. Police rushed to the spot and conducted panchanama, before arresting the Nigerian national and recovering the Charas weighing 14 grammes valued at about Rs 1,400. Police have registered the case against Nani under NDPS Act and is investigating the case.
Later speaking to Herald, Lobo stated when a Nigerian was murdered on October 31, 2013, at Parra, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and DGP had assured him that a special police team headed by a DySP would be formed to keep a vigil on the foreigners moving suspiciously along the coastal belt.
“However, this team is yet to be formed and the drugs business continues unabated. Nigerians have been involved in the peddling of drugs and in order to deliver drugs promptly, many of them ride the two-wheelers very fast due to which accidents take place,” informed Lobo.
“In the past, many such accidents have taken place. Hence, I demand that the government should immediately form a special team of police headed by DySP to check the foreigners moving in vehicles, especially along the coastal belt,” said the Calangute MLA.
