The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted illicit drugs worth more than N3.4 billion in a series of operations across Lagos, Edo, Niger, Delta, Ondo, Gombe, Imo and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The operations led to the seizure of more than 1.3 million pills and capsules of tramadol and other opioids, as well as about 6,000kg of cannabis, while several suspects, including a fake police officer and a mechanic allegedly operating a drug depot, were arrested.
In Delta State, NDLEA operatives arrested 49-year-old Innocent Ekpe on Wednesday, September 16, along the Benin-Onitsha Expressway in Asaba, with 292.48kg of skunk concealed in his silver Toyota Sienna bus.
According to a statement by Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, investigation revealed that Ekpe allegedly impersonated a Deputy Superintendent of Police, using the name Godwin Emeka and a forged police identification card to evade scrutiny at checkpoints while transporting illicit drugs across states. His alleged accomplice, 39-year-old Nduka Joseph, 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.
Babafemi said Ossai allegedly used the workshop as a cover for storing illicit drugs. Operatives recovered 48kg of Canadian Loud and 152 grammes of methamphetamine, alongside a metal box allegedly used to keep the substances.
At the Tin-Can Island Port in Lagos, NDLEA operatives, working with the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies, intercepted a 40-foot container shipped from Montreal, Canada.
A joint examination of the container on September 16 uncovered 1,200 parcels of Canadian Loud weighing 603.75kg, with an estimated street value of N1.811 billion.
The drugs were concealed inside 31 black jumbo bags loaded into two Toyota Sienna vehicles packed inside the container.
In Niger State, three young suspects — Bashir Usman, 20; Abubakar Nuhu, 18; and Abdulrahman Abdulwahab, 18 — were arrested along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway at Chachi, Tafa Local Government Area.
They were allegedly 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 on the Abaji-Abuja highway arrested Aminu Isyaku, 23, and Jamilu Habibu, 25, on September 18.
Babafemi said operatives recovered more than 1.1 million assorted tramadol tablets and capsules, codeine syrup, methamphetamine and Exol tablets concealed in eight sacks and allegedly being transported from Onitsha, Anambra State, to Mararaba, Nasarawa State.
In Lagos, Onyeka Ofor was arrested at his residence in Aguda, Surulere, with 48,900 pills of tramadol 225mg.
Another suspect, Luke Ugokwe, was arrested after seven cartons of cannabis sativa weighing 59kg were intercepted at a logistics company.
Also in Lagos, NDLEA operatives arrested 43-year-old Ibrahim Hudu 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, arrested at Barunde area and Gombe main market respectively.
In Imo State, 25-year-old Ifesinachi Godwin was arrested along the Owerri-Onitsha Road with 43.85kg of skunk.
In Ondo State, four suspects — Blessing Effiong, Saviour Peter, David Friday Sunday and Ability Peter Sunday — were arrested during the raid and destruction of a two-hectare cannabis farm in Ita-Ogbolu Forest.
The operation resulted in the destruction of about 5,000kg of skunk, while 48kg of dry and fresh cannabis was recovered for use in prosecuting the suspects.
Beyond interdiction operations, NDLEA commands and formations also continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities.
The agency conducted WADA enlightenment lectures at St. Ferdinand School, Ogbomoso, Oyo State; Unizik Secondary School, Awka, Anambra State; Scholars Nursery and Primary School, Epe, Lagos; and Government Technical Training School, Jalingo, Taraba State.
The Delta Ports Command also paid a WADA advocacy visit to His Royal Majesty, King Couple Mackson Oromoni Mobene III, Pere Ama-Okosu of Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom, Delta State.
Babafemi said NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), commended the officers and men of the Lagos, Tin-Can, Edo, Niger, Delta, Ondo, Gombe, Imo and FCT Commands for what he described as their professionalism and intelligence-driven operations.
He said Marwa urged NDLEA personnel nationwide to sustain the agency’s current balanced approach to drug control efforts.
