The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recorded major seizures of illicit drugs across Kano, Lagos, Bauchi, Niger, Edo, Ondo, Taraba, Oyo and Delta states, including the arrest of a physically challenged lady in Warri.
In a statement on Sunday by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the agency said operatives of a special operations unit on Friday, October 23, arrested Eletu Rasheedat, 41, at Eti-Osa area of Lagos where they recovered 5,820 pills of diazepam, 780 tablets of tramadol, 3.7kg of skunk and 230.25 litres of skuchies.
In Delta, a suspect, Peter Ugochukwu, 51, was arrested in Warri with a huge cache of pharmaceutical opioids including 29,350 capsules of tramadol; 6,620 tablets of tramadol 200mg; 4,116 bottles of codeine syrup; 11,340 tablets of Rohypnol; 3,500 tablets of diazepam; 300 ampoules of pentazocine injection, 200 ampoules of diazepam injection, and quantities of tramadol 225mg, Molly and Cocodamol. He was transferred along with a white Hummer bus from the Nigeria Police Force, Delta State.
In a separate arrest at Enhere Junction, Warri, a 46-year-old physically challenged woman, Helen Bakporo Samson, was arrested on Monday, October 19, with 6.0kg of skunk.
A 41-year-old suspect, Fajana Dada Oluwaseyi, was arrested on October 19 in Adamasingba, Ibadan, following his initial escape from arrest when NDLEA officers seized 197.8kg of cannabis sativa from his house on September 16.
While a raid in Gerawa area of Kano on Thursday, October 22, led to the arrest of Murtala Lawan, 30, and seizure of 159 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 97.2kg, NDLEA officers at the Lankaviri checkpoint, Yorro LGA, Taraba on Friday, October 23, arrested Raiyanu Misa, 39, with 95 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 60.175kg. The same day, the Nigeria Police Force handed over a suspect arrested at Dakka village, Bali LGA, with 112 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 81.49kg.
In Niger State, Emmanuel Ekene, 26, was arrested on Monday, October 19, on the Sabo-Kainji road, Borgu LGA, with 64,000 pills of opioids including tramadol and diazepam, while officers arrested Jamilu Mustapha (aka Last Card), 45, on Wednesday, October 21, at Nasaru Town, Ningi LGA, Bauchi State where they seized 379kg of cannabis sativa packed in seven jumbo sacks.
Acting on intelligence, NDLEA officers on Tuesday, October 20, raided a farm at Board-Ala, Akure South, Ondo State and recovered 56 bags of abandoned cannabis sativa weighing 583kg. Two cannabis farms in Ugbada Forest, Uzebba, Owan West LGA, Edo State, with an estimated yield of 2,023.14kg, were destroyed on Sunday, October 18, by NDLEA operatives who also burnt 450kg of processed cannabis at the site and took 97kg as exhibit. In a related operation at Ewe community, Owan West, Mary Edokhai, 42, was arrested with 35kg of the same psychoactive substance.
The agency said its Commands across the country also continued War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities in schools, worship centres and communities.
The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, retired Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended officers of the MMIA, Kano, Lagos, Bauchi, Niger, Edo, Ondo, Taraba, Oyo and Delta Commands for their vigilance and professionalism and urged them to sustain the tempo.