News Investigators/ The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted N7.8bn worth of opioids at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers state.
This is contained in a statement by the Director, Media and Advocacy NDLEA, Femi Babafemi on Sunday in Abuja.
Mr Babafemi said that a total of 875,000 bottles of codeine based syrup and 3, 500,000 pills of trodol benzhexol were recovered from five containers.
“This is worth over N6.1billion and N1.7billion in street value. The containers were under NDLEA intelligence tracking and watch-list.
“Arrest was made during joint examination with Customs Service and other security agencies on Wednesday Aug. 13 and Thursday, August 14 at the West Africa Container Terminal (WACT) of the Onne port,”he said.
He said in Edo, NDLEA operatives on Wednesday, Aug. 13 recovered 24 bags of skunk weighing 432kg in a bush along Warake-Auchi road in Etsako West LGA.
Mr Babafemi said that 130kg of the same substance was seized at a warehouse in Sobe, Owan West LGA the following day.
“A suspect Tahiru Madu Manga, 25, was nabbed by NDLEA officers along Zaria-Kano road, with 16kg skunk.
“Another suspect Ibrahim Audu, 47, was arrested with 76kg of the same psychoactive substance at Gadar Tamburawa along Zaria-Kano road, Kano state on Wednesday, Aug. 13.”
Similarly, no fewer than 4, 320 ampoules of ketamine injection were intercepted by NDLEA operatives at Gbaji checkpoint along Badagry-Lagos highway on Monday, Aug. 11 with a suspect, Akeem Adegun arrested.
He said that commands and formations of the agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week.
“These include: WADA advocacy visits to former Head of State, General Abdulsalam Abubakar in Minna, Niger state; the Emir of Borgu kingdom, HRH Alhaji Muhammad Haliru Dantoro, Kitoro IV, in Borgu kingdom, Niger state.
“Also, the Emir of Lafia, Hon. Justice Sidi Bage Mohammed (Rtd), in Lafia, Nasarawa state and the Shehu of Borno, HRH Dr. Abubakar Umar Ibn Garbai El Kanemi, in Maiduguri, Borno state, among others”.
NAN