The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recovered large consignments of opioids in raids carried out in Lagos, Abia, Kano, Benue, Osun and Edo States.
This is contained in a statement by NDLEA’s Director, Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi, on Sunday in Abuja.
Babafemi said that in an interdiction operation in Lagos, three suspects: Osinachi Nwachukwu; Tochukwu Okafor and John Mbakwe, were arrested on March 7.
He said that the alleged drug peddlers were arrested at Mosalasi Junction, Mushin, with 301,600 pills of Tramadol and other opioids.
The official said that two other suspects: China Michael and Igbo Ekene, were also arrested on the same day (March 7) when their commercial truck was intercepted by NDLEA operatives at Sibiri area of Ojo, Lagos.
He added that a search of the vehicle revealed 248 compressed blocks of Ghanaian Loud, a strain of cannabis, weighing 128kg, concealed in the underbelly of the truck.
Babafemi said that in Kano, 65-year-old Yahaya Haruna was nabbed with 19.2kg of skunk on Gadar Tamburawa road on Thursday, March 7.
According to the NDLEA spokesman, another 60-year-old man, Musa Bello (a.k.a Jajere), was arrested with 212 bottles of codeine-based syrup at Medile, Kumbotso Local Government Area, Kano.
Babafemi said further that 442,594 pills of tramadol and other opioids as well as 1,274 bottles of codeine syrup were recovered by operatives in Abia.
“They raided the house and warehouse of a 37-year-old suspect, Blessing Okoronkwo, at 19 Ubani St, Aba, on Tuesday, March 4.
“In Benue State, 50,000 pills of Tramadol and Exol-5 were recovered from two suspects: Nwaeze Onyeabor, 47, and Tombo Thomas, 23, on Wednesday, March 5.
“This was when their vehicle was intercepted by NDLEA operatives at Ugbema junction, Katsina Ala area of the state.
“In Osun State, a suspect, Asimiyu Muibi, 50, was arrested on Tuesday, March 4 with 162kg of skunk at Modakeke, Ife East Local Government Area.
“95kg of same substance was also recovered from a Toyota Camry car marked KSF 72 GW during a raid in Ede same day.
“A suspect, Etim Esien Stephen, 55, was arrested when NDLEA officers on Wednesday, March 5 raided the Amahor community forest, in Igueben area of Edo State.
“This was where 9,514.625kg of skunk was destroyed on a 3.80 hectares of cannabis farmland,” the official said.
He quoted the NDLEA Chairman, retired, Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, as commending the officers and men in Lagos, Kano, Abia, Benue, Osun and Edo commands for the arrests and seizures.
Marwa said that their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts were well appreciated.
