NDLEA seizes 2.3 tonnes of illicit drugs
By Kingsley Omonobi
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has intercepted more than 2.3 tonnes of assorted illicit drugs in operations across nine states, including synthetic cannabis, popularly known as Colorado or Colos, opioids and other controlled substances.
The agency also said it dismantled a Colorado distribution network linked to two consignments shipped from the United Kingdom and arrested several suspects, including a real estate agent and a 44-year-old man who allegedly received consignments from relatives in the UK.
NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
According to him, operatives at the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos, intercepted a UK-bound consignment containing 27 parcels of Colorado weighing 32.20kg.
Babafemi said a real estate agent, Abideen Jide Salami, was arrested on September 9 after allegedly arriving with a collection code sent by his brother in the UK to retrieve a luggage containing the substance.
He said a follow-up operation involving another UK consignment led to the arrest of Nurudeen Abiodun Kadiri, 44, who allegedly told investigators that his brother in the UK sent him the 12.25kg Colorado consignment.
In another operation, NDLEA operatives intercepted a music speaker containing three packs of Colorado at a motor park in Maza Maza, Lagos, allegedly destined for Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, and subsequently Liberia.
Babafemi said a tour agent, Ifeanyi Obed Augustine, 41, and the alleged owner of the consignment, Obasi Ugochukwu, 46, were arrested during a sting operation at a nearby eatery.
At Iddo Park, Lagos, another suspect, Ifeanyi Nwokolo Henry, was arrested on September 11 while allegedly attempting to dispatch 2.1kg of Colorado to Kano.
In Delta State, separate operations in Ughelli and Asaba led to the seizure of ampoules of pentazocine injection, codeine syrup, tramadol, diazepam, flunitrazepam and MDMA, with some of the substances allegedly concealed in music speakers.
Two suspects, Emeka Oji and Chukwuebuka Anedi, were arrested in connection with the seizures.
In Kano, Babafemi said a raid in Sabon Gari resulted in the arrest of a 20-year-old suspect, Saidu Adamu, with 785,000 capsules of pregabalin weighing 669.425kg.
He said a stop-and-search operation along the Zaria-Kano-Hadejia road also led to the seizure of 1,700 tablets of diazepam concealed inside loaves of bread.
The consignment was allegedly being conveyed by 28-year-old Habibu Sabitu, who was arrested.
In Plateau State, 51-year-old Chinedu Uzor was arrested at Katako Market, Jos, with 157,100 capsules of tramadol.
Babafemi said the agency also intensified operations against illicit cannabis cultivation, resulting in the destruction of 4,832.56kg of cannabis, locally known as skunk, on farms in Usen Forest, Igwe-Oke Forest and Ogboha Forest in Edo State.
He said the operations covered Ovia South-West, Owan East and Owan West Local Government Areas, with a 39-year-old suspect, Sunday Segun, arrested on September 11.
In Ondo State, NDLEA officers acting on intelligence raided a residence along Oke-Iya, Ijoka Road, Akure, on September 9 and recovered 186kg of skunk allegedly concealed in the boot of a Toyota Avalon car.
A 58-year-old suspect, Paul Ogbuwala, was arrested in connection with the seizure. The agency alleged that he was preparing to move the consignment to Jos for onward distribution.
In Kaduna State, a female suspect, Hannah Michael, was arrested at Gonin Gora with 369.6kg of cannabis.
In Bayelsa State, four suspects, including 70-year-old Godwoman Gboriye, were arrested at Ovom, Yenagoa, with 110 bags of cannabis weighing 876kg.
The other suspects were identified as Motombo Silver, 44; Pere Andrew, 39; and Keme Andrew, 43.
The agency said its commands and formations across the country also continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitisation activities in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities.
The activities included an enlightenment lecture for students and staff of Mezube Islamiyya Academy, Tudun Wada, Kano; an advocacy visit to the management of Cross River State College of Health Technology, Calabar; and a visit by traditional rulers from Rikkos to the NDLEA Academy in Jos.
The Zone 4 Command also conducted a WADA advocacy visit to the Emir of Keffi, Alhaji Shehu Chindo Yamusa III, in Nasarawa State.
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, MMIA and the affected state commands for the operations.
Marwa urged officers nationwide to sustain what he described as the agency’s balanced approach to drug control.
He charged them to continue disrupting the supply networks of drug cartels at airports, seaports, land borders and in the hinterland where cannabis is cultivated.
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