Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted various quantities of cocaine and opioids such as tramadol, pentazocine injection, morphine sulphate, and ketamine injection, among others.
These drugs were concealed in the soles of shoes, clothes, and other items being shipped to the United States, United Kingdom, and Cyprus by a syndicate.
While no less than 250 grams of cocaine destined for Cyprus was hidden in the soles of custom-made shoes, over five kilograms of opioids heading to the US and UK were discovered by NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigations (DOGI) in clothes and other household items meant to be shipped through some courier firms in Lagos.
The agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, stated, “In the same vein, a consignment of 440 grams of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis coming from Canada to Lagos, was equally intercepted by operatives in one of the logistic companies.”
On Wednesday, 10th July 2024, NDLEA operatives in Edo state intercepted a vehicle marked Abuja GWA 273 DD at Ewu junction, Esan Central LGA, following credible intelligence.
The luggage of one of the occupants, Aminu Abdullahi, 32, was searched and found to contain custard containers where 3,000 pills of tramadol 225mg were buried in the custard powder. The suspect claimed the drugs were bought in Onitsha, Anambra state, and he was taking them to the Mararaba area of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, to sell.
In another operation on Thursday, 11th July, operatives raided the Ohen forest, Abudu area of Edo and destroyed 5,429.751kg of cannabis on 2.918 hectares of farmlands, arresting four suspects: Godday Ariye, 37; Friday Okafor, 59; Obinna Nwosu, 48; and Yusuf Adamu, 27. Similarly, 300 kilograms of the same substance were recovered from Uzzeba Obi camp in Owan West LGA when NDLEA officers raided the location on Saturday, 13th July.
In Ogun state, operatives on Tuesday, 9th July, recovered a total of 2,865 kilograms of cannabis at Afami Ibese while the suspected owner, Umar Ibese, is currently at large. At least 2,455 kilograms of materials for the production of Akuskura, a new psychoactive substance (NPS), were recovered from a warehouse in Konduga town, Konduga LGA, Borno state, on Tuesday, 9th July, when NDLEA operatives, in a joint operation with men of the Nigerian Army, raided the area.
The following day, Wednesday, 10th July, operatives in Katsina state arrested a 54-year-old Sabo Sule with 47kg of cannabis in Katsina town.
In Lagos, operatives on Monday, 8th July, raided a warehouse in VGC, Lekki, where they recovered 148 cartons of non-medical nitrous oxide, popularly called laughing gas; 108 cartons of fast gas cylinders; 134 pieces of balloons; and 109 cartons of infusion chargers, among others. A female suspect, Suliyat Abdulsalam, was arrested in connection with the seizure.
With the same zeal, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities in schools, worship centres, workplaces, and communities over the past week.
These include: WADA enlightenment lectures for students of St. Louis Grammar School Senior, Mokola, Ibadan, Oyo state; students and staff of Infant Jesus Model Secondary School, Oron, Akwa Ibom state; and students and teachers of Ede High School, Ede, Osun state. Others are students of Government Day Secondary School, Kalga Gari, Daura, Katsina state; and students of Rehoboth Secondary School, Okpuno Awka, Anambra state, among others.
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers and men of the Edo, Borno, Ogun, Katsina, Lagos, and FCT Commands as well as those of DOGI for the arrests and seizures.
He noted their drug supply reduction efforts balanced with WADA sensitization activities while charging them and their compatriots across the country to maintain the current tempo.
