Ben Ogbemudia and Tomiwa Okunde
About one million, five hundred thousand tablets and capsules of pharmaceutical opioids such as Tramadol, Exol-5, and Diazepam heading to Yauri, Kebbi State were intercepted in Edo State by the operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, last Friday while 425,000 Diazepam tablets were also recovered at Segemu, Kano the same day.
The drugs intercepted in Edo were said to have been loaded in Onitsha, Anambra State
In addition, over N1.4 million was seized along with arms and ammunition from a suspected bandit and drug kingpin in Plateau State while over 137.754 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs were recovered during interdiction operations across seven states in the past week.
The NDLEA’s Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said in a statement that acting on credible intelligence, the agency’s operatives in Edo State last Friday, intercepted a trailer coming from Onitsha and going to Yauri in Kebbi State. A thorough search of the truck led to the discovery of psychotropic substances concealed under legitimate goods.
The drugs seized included: 394,480 capsules and 3,000 tablets of Tramadol weighing 83.707kg; Exol-5: 647,500 tablets weighing 203.315kg; Diazepam: 12,500 tablets weighing 2.05kg; Bromazepam: 1,500 tablets weighing 0.45kg; Codeine based Syrup: 999 bottles weighing 134.865kg; Pentazocine injections: 4,000 ampoules weighing 16.64kg. The driver of the truck, Bashir Lawali, 30, was arrested along with Abubakar Sani, 30, and Ali Abubakar, 19, while the exhibits in Kano were seized from one Sa’idu Yahya, 31.
Also, attempts by drug traffickers to export 73 parcels of cannabis (34.05kg) concealed in foodstuff plastic containers to the United Kingdom through the NAHCO export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja Lagos were frustrated by operatives on January 8, the same way as another 50 parcels of cannabis consignment (27.25kg) meant for the United States was intercepted at the export shed of the airport on January 11 and at least three suspects arrested.
In a reversed bid, moves by the illicit drug merchants to bring into Nigeria 94 parcels of cannabis indica (Colorado) weighing 43.4kg through the Tincan seaport in Lagos were crushed on January 13 when the agency’s operatives intercepted the drug inside a 40ft container from Canada. The exhibit was concealed inside a Toyota Camry car. This came on the heels of a similar seizure on January 11 of 59 parcels of Colorado (17.3kg) concealed in a Mercedes Benz vehicle imported from Canada.
In Plateau state, a fake security agent, Babagana Maaji has been arrested through a controlled delivery of 5.6kg cannabis from Lagos. The suspect based in Damaturu, Yobe state, was nabbed following the interception of a commercial bus bringing the consignment from Lagos to Gombe in Mararaban Jos on January 8.
Also on January 11, operatives of the Plateau Command of the Agency arrested a suspected bandit, Abdullahi Usman Ahmad, 28, at Hwolshe with one Beretta pistol; seven rounds of live ammunition; two empty shells; 12 grams of cannabis Sativa; a pair of handcuffs and One million, One Hundred and Thirty-Six Thousand, Three Hundred and Forty Four Naira only (N1, 136,344), suspected to be ransom money and an Opel car with registration number ZAR35LQ.
In the same vein, the leader of a cocaine distribution ring in Plateau, Chibueze Okoro John, 42, has been arrested along Zaria Road, Jos, with quantities of cocaine and Tramadol recovered from him and a Sienna Bus (BWR 584 AL), Toyota Camry car (RBC 461 BF) and the sum of Two Hundred and Seventy-Seven Thousand Naira only (N 277, 000), which the suspect offered to the narcotic officers as a bribe but was rejected.
In Delta State, the agency said the bid by a 38-year-old Ejike Obiora, to smuggle different quantities of Cocaine and Heroin into the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Ogwashi-Uku, Aniocha South Local Government Area, was foiled on January 8 when he was discovered to have concealed the drugs in foodstuffs meant for an inmate.
In Owo, Ondo State, 598kg cannabis was recovered during a raid with the two owners: Arataye Raimi, 41, and Tope Osinnuwa, 36, being arrested in follow-up operations. While one Abdullahi Mohammed was arrested in connection with the seizure of 48.5 blocks of cannabis in Potiskum, Yobe State, another fake security agent, Dike Davison was nabbed at Aliade, Benue State with 50grams of cannabis and 29 rounds of live ammunition of 7.62mm caliber.
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In Abuja, FCT, a buy and bust operation on January 14, led to the arrest of one Habib Yusif, 41, with a total of 28.2kg cannabis recovered from him, while in Osun State, the trio of Samuel Joseph; Francis Ujor, and Sola Johnson were arrested in Onikoko village Area 5, Ile-Ife, with 100 bags of cannabis weighing 1,530 kilograms recovered from them on Thursday 13th Jan.
While commending the officers and men of the various commands for their remarkable efforts, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) assured them that their sacrifices, dedication to duty, and exceptional feats will not go without commensurate commendation and rewards.
