The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has intercepted more than 1.3 million pills and capsules of tramadol and other opioids, as well as 6,000kg of cannabis strains, with a combined street value of over N3.4 billion in operations across eight states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
The agency also arrested several suspects, including a 49-year-old man who allegedly impersonated a senior police officer to evade security checks while transporting illicit drugs across state lines.
NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, saying the operations were conducted in Lagos, Edo, Niger, Delta, Ondo, Gombe and Imo States, as well as the FCT.
According to him, the agency’s major breakthrough was the interception of 1,200 parcels of Canadian Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, weighing 603.75kg and valued at N1.811 billion.
Babafemi said the consignment was seized at the Tin-Can Island Port in Lagos after NDLEA operatives placed a 40-foot container shipped from Montreal, Canada, under intensive monitoring based on intelligence.
He said the container, which arrived on September 12, was subjected to a joint physical examination by the NDLEA, Customs and other security agencies on September 16.
The search, he added, uncovered the 1,200 parcels concealed inside 31 black jumbo bags loaded into two Toyota Sienna vehicles within the container.
In Delta State, Babafemi said NDLEA operatives arrested Innocent Ekpe, 49, along the Benin-Onitsha Expressway in Asaba on September 16 with 292.48kg of skunk hidden in his silver Toyota Sienna bus.
He said investigation revealed that Ekpe allegedly paraded himself as Godwin Emeka, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, using a forged police identification card to evade scrutiny at checkpoints while transporting illicit drugs.
An alleged accomplice, Nduka Joseph, 39, was also arrested.
In Edo State, NDLEA operatives acting on intelligence raided an auto-repair workshop along Agbor Road, Benin City, where they arrested 45-year-old Matthew Ossai.
The agency said 48kg of Canadian Loud and 152g of methamphetamine were recovered from the workshop, which it alleged was being used as a front for storing illicit drugs.
In Niger State, three suspects — Bashir Usman, 20; Abubakar Nuhu, 18; and Abdulrahman Abdulwahab, 18 — were arrested on September 15 along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway at Chachi, Tafa Local Government Area.
Babafemi said 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.
Also, NDLEA operatives arrested Aminu Isyaku, 23, and Jamilu Habibu, 25, along the Abaji-Abuja highway on September 18.
The suspects were allegedly found with more than 1.1 million assorted tramadol tablets and capsules, codeine syrup, methamphetamine and Exol tablets concealed in eight sacks reportedly being transported from Onitsha, Anambra State, to Mararaba, Nasarawa State.
In Lagos, Onyeka Offor was arrested at his residence in Aguda, Surulere, on September 18 with 48,900 pills of tramadol 225mg.
Babafemi said seven cartons of cannabis sativa weighing 59kg were also intercepted at a logistics company in the state, leading to the arrest of a suspect, Luke Ugokwe.
Another suspect, Ibrahim Hudu, 43, was arrested at Apongbo on September 17 with 998.38kg of nitrous oxide gas.
In Gombe State, 154,480 capsules of tramadol were recovered from two suspects, Sabi’u Umar, 27, and Hassana Muhammad, 19, who were arrested at Barunde area and Gombe Main Market respectively on September 18.
In Imo State, NDLEA operatives arrested Ifesinachi Godwin, 25, along the Owerri-Onitsha Road on September 18 with 43.85kg of skunk.
Similarly, 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, Ondo State, on September 15.
The operation led to the destruction of 5,000kg of cannabis plants, while 48kg of dry and fresh cannabis was recovered for prosecution.
Meanwhile, Babafemi said NDLEA commands and formations across the country sustained their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitisation activities during the week.
He said the activities included enlightenment lectures at St. Ferdinand School, Ogbomoso, Oyo State; Unizik Secondary School, Awka, Anambra State; Scholars Nursery and Primary School, Epe, Lagos State; and Government Technical Training School, Jalingo, Taraba State.
He added that the Delta Ports Command also paid a WADA advocacy visit to the Pere Ama-Okosu of Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom, His Royal Majesty King Couple Mackson Oromoni Mobene III.
The NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended the officers and men of the affected commands for their professionalism and intelligence-driven operations.
Marwa urged them and other personnel of the agency to sustain what he described as a balanced approach to drug control efforts.
NDLEA intercepts N3.4bn Loud, opioids, arrests fake police officer, mechanic-drug dealer