In a significant crackdown on drug trafficking, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have conducted multiple raids across Lagos, Edo, and Ondo states, resulting in the seizure of over 44,948.1 kilograms of illicit drugs.
The operations also led to the arrest of eight suspects allegedly involved in the drug trade. Additionally, the anti-narcotics agency confiscated 11 vehicles believed to be owned by drug cartels, marking a notable effort to curb the proliferation of illicit substances within the region.
This was revealed by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday.
The statement noted that “no less than 14,310.8625 kg of psychoactive substance was razed on 5.7 hectares of farms in Ohosu/Ugbogui forest, Ovia South-West Local Government Area, Edo State on Tuesday, March 19.”
Five suspects, including 67-year-old Sunday Otulugbu; Agbayeogor Joshua, 39; Kelvin Ofuasia, 45; Williams Peter, 37; and Kamaru Onimisi, 44, were arrested. It added that 7,687.8kg of cannabis was destroyed in a warehouse in Ala Forest, Akure, Ondo State, with another 670kg evacuated on Saturday, March 23.
The statement read in part, “In another operation in Uzebba/Avbiosi forest on Thursday, March 21, over 6,500kg of cannabis was destroyed on 2.6 hectares of farms where three suspects: Kabiru Idris, 36; Alaba Jimoh, 40; and Lekan Asobere, 35, were arrested.
“In the same vein, 5,000kg of the same substance was razed in a warehouse in Okpuje forest, Owan West LGA by NDLEA operatives with support from the military on Friday, March 22.”
The agency stated that in a well-coordinated operation on Wednesday, March 20, in Lagos State, its operatives seized “10,534 kg (10.534 tonnes) of Ghanaian Loud, a strain of cannabis in the Ajah area of the state where 11 vehicles were seized from the drug cartel.
It added, “The recovered vehicles include: Iveco truck marked KRD 522 YE; Toyota Sienna marked AAA 338 GL; Toyota Sienna marked AAA 308 EP; Toyota Sienna marked FKJ 381 JC; Nissan bus marked EKY 846 YG; Mercedes bus marked EPE 743 XT; an unmarked Iveco J5 bus; Toyota Sienna marked LSD 744 GP; Toyota Highlander SUV marked KTU 280 FN; Toyota Sienna marked AAA 333 GH and Toyota Sienna marked FKJ 208 HV.”
Babafemi noted, “In another raid at the Ago Palace Way area of the state on Friday, March 22, a suspect, Miracle Obi, was arrested with 1,006 ampoules of pentazocine injection; 50 tablets of tramadol 225mg; 89 bottles of codeine syrup and 2,360 ampoules of Diazepam injection.
“Another suspect, Kareem Mustapha, was earlier on Tuesday, March 19, nabbed along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway with 25,000 pills of tramadol and 5,900 ampoules of pentazocine injection.
“While 58kg cannabis was recovered at Jagindi village, Kafanchan LGA, Kaduna State on Friday, March 22, Abdulqadir Muhammad, 34, was arrested with 45kg of the same substance by NDLEA operatives along Kaduna-Zaria Expressway.
“In Borno State, Salisu Yusuf, 20, was nabbed with 30kg Arizona, a strain of cannabis at the Njimtilo checkpoint on Saturday, March 23, while another suspect, Rabiu Husseini, 27, was arrested with 34kg cannabis along Gwagwalada/Abuja highway on his way from Lagos to Katsina state on Wednesday, March 21.
“The following day, March 22, NDLEA officers on patrol along Gashua-Baymari road, Busari LGA, Yobe state arrested Haladu Hassan with 160 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 50kg.”
In Kano State, the agency said it “successfully dismantled” a syndicate dealing in cocaine and heroin “with the arrest of 42-year-old Onyeka Uba in the Sabon Gari area of Kano where 1.805kg and 7grammes of the illicit substances were recovered from him on Monday, March 18. Another suspect, Ubale Sani, 49, was arrested with 51.5kg of cannabis in the Chiromawa area of Kano.
