NDLEA recovers tons of illicit drug consignments in nine states

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recovered tons of illicit drugs in Kano, Lagos, Bauchi, Niger, Edo, Ondo, Taraba, Oyo and Delta states. The Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja. Giving a breakdown, Babafemi said a suspect was arrested in Warri, Delta with a huge cache of pharmaceutical opioids.

These included 29,350 capsules of tramadol, 6,620 tablets of tramadol 200mg, 4,116 bottles of codeine syrup, 11,340 tablets of Rohypnol and 3,500 tablets of diazepam. “Others are 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,” he said.

In a separate arrest at Enhere Junction, Warri, a 46-year-old physically challenged woman was arrested by NDLEA operatives on Oct. 19 with 6.0kg of skunk. Meanwhile, a 41-year-old suspect was also arrested on Oct. 19 in Adamasingba, Ibadan, Oyo State, following his initial escape from arrest when NDLEA officers seized 197.8kg of cannabis sativa from his house on Sept. 16.

Babafemi said a raid in Gerawa area of Kano on Oct. 22 led to the arrest of a suspect and seizure of 159 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 97.2kg. Also, NDLEA officers at the Lankaviri checkpoint, Yorro Local Government Area, Taraba, on Oct. 23, arrested another suspect 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,” he said.

Similarly, in Niger State, another suspect was arrested by NDLEA operatives on Oct. 19 on Sabo-Kainji road, Borgu LGA, with 64,000 pills of opioids, including tramadol and diazepam. Babafemi said NDLEA officers also arrested another suspect on Oct. 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 Oct. 20 raided a farm at Board-Ala, Akure South, Ondo, and recovered 56 bags of abandoned cannabis sativa weighing 583kg. “Two cannabis farms in Ugbada Forest, Uzebba, Owan West LGA, Edo, with an estimated yield of 2,023.14kg, were destroyed on Oct. 18 by NDLEA operatives. “They also burnt 450kg of processed cannabis at the site and took 97kg as exhibit,” he said.

In a related operation at Ewe community, Owan West, another suspect was arrested with 35kg of the same psychoactive substance. With the same vigour, commands and formations of the agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities to schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities, among others, in the past week.

These include WADA enlightenment lectures to students and staff of Oje Grammar School, Ibadan, Oyo State; Government Day Secondary School, Kwamba, Niger State, Baptist Primary School, Olorunda, Ogun. Others are Government Secondary School, Yalea, Kano State; Community Secondary School, Igogoro, Enugu State; Urban Girls Secondary School, Onitsha, Anambra; and Kelebe Community Grammar School, Osogbo, Osun, among others.

Babafemi quoted the NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, as commending the officers and men of Kano, Lagos, Bauchi, Niger, Edo, Ondo, Taraba, Oyo and Delta commands for their vigilance. This, he said, included their diligence, professionalism and intelligence-driven approach to the various successful operations. Marwa urged them and their colleagues across the country to sustain the tempo of the war against drug trafficking and substance abuse.