The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, says its operatives have in a nationwide sweep recovered over two million pills of opioids and large consignments of cannabis, methamphetamine and other psychotropic substances across nine states.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday by the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi.
Major Seizures at Ports and Airports
At the Lagos airport, operatives recovered 966,200 tablets of Tramadol 225mg worth over N1.1 billion concealed among thrift trousers in a 21-carton consignment from Pakistan.
Also recovered on Thursday, September 3, was 57.80kg of “Loud”, a synthetic strain of cannabis, worth over N173 million. It was hidden inside cartons of disposable hand gloves in a shipment from Singapore that had remained unclaimed for weeks before a joint examination by NDLEA, Customs and other security agencies.
At Tincan Port, Lagos, another 598.08kg, about 890 packets, of cannabis-laced cookies and gummies were intercepted on Wednesday, September 2, in a 40-foot container. The seizure was linked to three suspects, Yashim Dauji, Larry Ifeanyi and Joseph Moji, arrested barely a month earlier over 842.54kg of similar products.
Operations in States
In Adamawa, operatives on patrol in Jimeta, Yola North LGA, on Friday recovered 864,000 pills of opioids, mainly tramadol, from a residence linked to a fleeing suspect, Patrick KC Frank.
In Michika, a major methamphetamine supplier, Calistus Ebubechukwu, 35, was arrested with 2kg of the drug. At Namtari checkpoint in Mubi on August 31, Attahiru Hussaini was intercepted with 750,027,530 pills of tramadol and other opioids concealed in a soap-laden bus.
In Lagos, 2,386.9kg of cannabis, 350grams of cocaine, over 100kg of assorted tramadol, 9.7 litres of codeine syrup and 4kg of rohypnol were recovered in Gbaji on September 4. Two suspects, Damilare Francis and Emeh Emmanuel, were also arrested with 720kg of cannabis in Agbara.
In Kogi, three suspects, Saidu Mustapha, 35; Zaharadeen Salisu, 29; and AbdulSalam Abdullahi, 25, were arrested with 636kg of cannabis concealed in chicken manure aboard a bus from Owo to Jos.
In Taraba, Kelechi Unachukwu, 58, was arrested on Zaki-Biam road, Wukari, with over 109kg of tramadol, diazepam, pentazocine and other drugs being moved from Onitsha to Yola.
In Kaduna, a truck loaded with cement was intercepted on the Zaria-Kano expressway with 1,179kg of skunk. In Bauchi, Hamza Dahiru, 25, was arrested following the seizure of 322.5kg of cannabis in Deba, Gombe State.
In Ekiti, NDLEA destroyed a 4-hectare cannabis farm in Efon-Alaaye forest and arrested Chuks Alex, 50, and Asafa Adekunle, 35, recovering 117kg of skunk. In Enugu, Obinna David, 20, was arrested at Ugbema Junction with 40,590 capsules of tramadol on September 5.
Marwa Commends Officers
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, retired Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended officers for their professionalism.
He urged them to sustain the agency’s balanced drug control approach, warning that traffickers who hide behind new identities or legitimate businesses “will continue to be tracked down.”