Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have launched massive raids across Lagos, Edo and Ondo state leading to the seizure of over 44,948.1 kilograms (44.9 tonnes) of illicit drugs and arrests of eight suspects as well as the seizure of 11 vehicles owned by the drug cartels.
Director, Media & Advocacy of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, March 24.
“While a total of 7, 687.8kg of cannabis was destroyed in a warehouse in Ala forest, Akure, Ondo state with another 670kg evacuated, on Saturday 23rd March 2024, no less than 14,310.8625kg of same psychoactive substance was razed on 5.7 hectares of farms in Ohosu/Ugbogui forest, Ovia South West LGA, Edo State on Tuesday 19th March, where five suspects including 67-year-old Sunday Otulugbu; Agbayeogor Joshua, 39; Kelvin Ofuasia,45;
“Williams Peter, 37; and Kamaru Onimisi, 44, were arrested,” the statement read in part.
The NDLEA said that in another operation in Uzebba/Avbiosi forest on Thursday 21st March, over 6,500kg cannabis was destroyed on 2.6 hectares of farms where three suspects: Kabiru Idris, 36; Alaba Jimoh, 40; and Lekan Asobere, 35, were arrested. I
“In the same vein, 5,000kg of same substance was razed in a warehouse in Okpuje forest, Owan West LGA by NDLEA operatives with support from the military on Friday 22nd March.
“In Lagos, a well-coordinated operation on Wednesday 20th March led to the seizure of 10,534 kilograms (10.534 tonnes) of Ghanaian Loud, a strain of cannabis in Ajah area of the state where 11 vehicles were seized from the drug cartel. 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.
“In another raid at Ago Palace way area of the state on Friday 22nd March, 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 19th March 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 22nd March, Abdulqadir Muhammad, 34, was arrested with 45 kilograms of 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 Njimtilo checkpoint on Saturday 23rd March, 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 21st March. The following day, 22nd March, 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, a syndicate dealing in cocaine and heroin was successfully dismantled with the arrest of 42-year-old Onyeka Uba at Sabon Gari area of Kano where 1.805 kilograms and 7grams of the illicit substances were recovered from him on Monday 18th March. Another suspect, Ubale Sani, 49, was also arrested with 51.5kg cannabis at Chiromawa area of Kano.
“Operatives of a special operation unit of NDLEA also disrupted criminal activities of another cocaine syndicate in Abuja at the weekend with the arrest of three leaders of the group,” the NDLEA statement.