. Arrests 41 suspects in Kaduna, Abuja
…38,862 cartridges Recovered n Anambra
The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, on Sunday sustained the increasing tempo of the ongoing onslaught on drug dealers in parts of the country since the appointment Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) as Chairman/Chief Executive of Agency.
The operatives intercepted 294,440 tablets of Tramadol, Diazepam, Swinol, Rohyphnol, Exol-5 and other illicit drugs in its sustained operations in Delta, Bauchi, and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos.
The Director Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Mr. Femi Babafemi said in a statement on Sunday that the operatives also nabbed a total of 41 suspects during the raids in Abuja and Kaduna state.
Babafemi also gave a detailed account of various seizures and arrests that were made in the raids in several states of the county.
He said. “In Delta, one Christian Onah,42, was arrested at Isele- Azagba junction with 23,160 tablets of Swinol and 66,000 tablets of Rohypnol, both weighing 71.6kg while conveying the drugs from Benin to Onitsha, Anambra state.
“In another arrest, a commercial vehicle from Onitsha going to Ibadan, Oyo State was intercepted at Abraka junction, Asaba on Wednesday 2nd March with 78,000 capsules of Tramadol; 5,000 tablets of Diazepam and 97,500 tablets of Exol-5, and a suspect, Olaniyan Sunday, 42, was arrested.
“At least, a female suspect, Patricia Saduwa, 42, was arrested with 233.7kg cannabis during a raid operation in Orogun community close to Abbi town in Kwale LGA, Delta State on Friday 4th March. The raid of another house in the community same day led to the seizure of 123.7kg cannabis while the owner is still at large.
“In Bauchi, operatives acting on credible intelligence raided a warehouse at Gadar- Maiwa, Ningi Local Government Area of the state, where 542.5kg of cannabis; 6,800 tablets of Diazepam and 12,400 tablets of Exol-5 were recovered on Wednesday 2nd March.
“At least, 30 suspects were arrested at Malali area of Kaduna during raids aimed at destroying drug joints across the state.
“A suspect, Usman Dahiru was arrested with 24kg cannabis concealed in two sacks of used clothes on Thursday 3rd March along Abuja-Kaduna express road, where another suspect, Abdulrazaq Rabi’u was also arrested with 100,000 counterfeit US dollars while on the same day, operatives in Anambra state recovered 38,862 red star cartridges along with 13 cartons of illicit drugs when they raided a warehouse in Onitsha.
“In Abuja, FCT, 11 suspects were arrested and 81.2kg of drugs seized in a major operation on Saturday 5th March in black spots like Torabora, Karu Abattoir, Jabi motor park and Forest.”
He added that one Mohammed
Was arrested at the Lagos airport, at the SAHCO export shed on Saturday 5th March with 1.550kg cannabis concealed in golden morn cereal packs meant for Dubai, UAE.
According to him, another suspect, Olalekan Wasiu Ayinde, was arrested last Thursday at the Export Shed
with 4,980 capsules of Tramadol; 600 capsules of Rohypnol and some designer drugs concealed inside locust beans and hidden among food items for export to South Africa.
Babafemi stated further that a principal suspect in the importation of 451,807 Captagon tablets known as Jihadi drug, weighing 79.119kg in September, 2021 at Apapa Seaport Lagos, Nwoku Princewill Uche, 36, was nabbed after six months on the run.
Babafemi explained that the consignment was the first ever recorded seizure of Captagon in West and Central African Sub-Region.
According to him, the suspect claimed to have met the person who gave him the job on LinkedIn and was paid N5m to clear the container. He was said to have confessed to have used a third party bank account to process the Form M for the clearing of the illicit consignment.
Babafemi quoted the Chairman of the Agency, Gen Buba Marwa, as having urged the operatives to sustain the tempo of operations until all drug cartels are dismantled in the country.