By Opeyemi Adelakun
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has reported major drug seizures worth more than N3.4 billion following a series of operations across eight states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The operations resulted in the interception of more than 1.3 million pills and capsules of tramadol and other opioids, alongside about 6,000kg of cannabis, the agency said.
The seizures were recorded in Lagos, Edo, Niger, Delta, Ondo, Gombe and Imo states, as well as the FCT.
One of the major operations led to the arrest of 49-year-old Innocent Ekpe, who the NDLEA accused of impersonating a senior police officer while transporting illicit drugs.
Ekpe was arrested on Wednesday, September 16, along the Benin-Onitsha Expressway in Asaba, Delta State, with 292.48kg of skunk concealed in a silver Toyota Sienna bus.
The agency said preliminary investigations indicated that the suspect allegedly identified himself as Godwin Emeka, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, and used a forged police identification card to evade checks.
A 39-year-old suspected accomplice, Nduka Joseph, was also arrested.
N1.8bn Canadian Loud seized at Lagos port
At the Tin-Can Island Port in Lagos, NDLEA operatives placed a 40-foot container from Montreal, Canada, under surveillance after its arrival on September 12.
A joint examination involving the NDLEA, Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies on September 16 uncovered 1,200 parcels of Canadian Loud weighing 603.75kg.
The agency valued the consignment at N1.811 billion.
According to the NDLEA, the drugs were concealed inside 31 black jumbo bags loaded into two Toyota Sienna vehicles within the container.
In Edo State, operatives acting on intelligence raided an auto-repair workshop along Agbor Road, Benin City, where they arrested 45-year-old Matthew Ossai.
The agency alleged that Ossai used the workshop to store illicit drugs.
Operatives recovered 48kg of Canadian Loud, 152 grammes of methamphetamine and a metal box allegedly used to keep the substances.
Over 1.1m tramadol pills intercepted
Two suspects, Aminu Isyaku, 23, and Jamilu Habibu, 25, were arrested on September 18 along the Abaji-Abuja Highway.
NDLEA said more than 1.1 million assorted tramadol tablets and capsules, alongside codeine syrup, methamphetamine and Exol tablets, were recovered from them.
The substances were allegedly concealed in eight sacks and were being transported from Onitsha, Anambra State, to Mararaba, Nasarawa State.
In Lagos, Onyeka Ofor was arrested at his residence in Aguda, Surulere, on September 18 with 48,900 pills of tramadol 225mg.
Another 59kg of cannabis sativa was intercepted at a logistics company in the state, resulting in the arrest of a suspect identified as Luke Ugokwe.
In a separate operation, 43-year-old Ibrahim Hudu was arrested at Apongbo on September 17 with 998.38kg of nitrous oxide gas.
Cannabis farms destroyed
The NDLEA also reported significant cannabis seizures in Ondo and Imo states.
In Imo, 25-year-old Ifesinachi Godwin was arrested along the Owerri-Onitsha Road on September 18 with 43.85kg of skunk.
In Ondo State, four suspects — Blessing Effiong, Saviour Peter, David Friday Sunday and Ability Peter Sunday — were arrested during a raid on a two-hectare cannabis farm in Ita-Ogbolu Forest on September 15.
The agency said 5,000kg of skunk was destroyed during the operation, while 48kg of dried and fresh cannabis was recovered.
In Gombe State, NDLEA operatives recovered 154,480 tramadol capsules from two suspects, Sabi’u Umar, 27, and Hassana Muhammad, 19.
The suspects were arrested separately at the Barunde area and Gombe Main Market on September 18.
Suspects arrested with firearms
The agency also reported an operation in Niger State in which three suspects — Bashir Usman, 20, Abubakar Nuhu, 18, and Abdulrahman Abdulwahab, 18 — were arrested along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway at Chachi, Tafa Local Government Area.
According to the NDLEA, the suspects were found with two locally fabricated AK-47 rifles and a magazine, a locally made pistol with a magazine and nine rounds of 9mm ammunition concealed in a black travel bag.
NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended personnel involved in the operations and urged them to sustain what he described as a balanced, professional and intelligence-led approach to drug control.
Meanwhile, the agency said its commands continued public sensitisation under its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign during the week.
The campaign included enlightenment programmes for students and staff of schools in Oyo, Anambra, Lagos and Taraba states.
The Delta Ports Command also carried out a WADA advocacy visit to King Couple Mackson Oromoni Mobene III, Pere Ama-Okosu of Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom, Delta State.
The NDLEA said the sensitisation programmes were aimed at increasing public awareness of the dangers associated with illicit drug use and trafficking.
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