Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have confirmed the interception of a consignment of illicit drug consignment concealed in the engine compartment of an interstate commercial bus just as two grandfathers were taken into custody over drug trafficking.

This was revealed in a statement released on Sunday by Femi Babafemi, the agency’s director of media and advocacy.

The agency further stated that during a stop and search operation on the highway on Thursday, March 7, along the Gbongan-Ibadan motorway in Osun state, NDLEA operatives found no less than 5.2 kg of cannabis sativa and opioids in the engine compartment of an interstate commercial bus designated VDY 187 XA.

It stated that Iorliam Sughnen Dominic, a 35-year-old bus driver who accepted responsibility for the concealment, was detained pending more inquiry.

“The previous day, Wednesday, March 6, a 26-year-old lady, Obasanmi Esther Iyanu, who produces and distributes skuchies was arrested during a raid on her hideout in Osogbo, the Osun state capital. At least, 16.5 litres of the illicit substance and different quantities of molly and cannabis were recovered from her during the raid.

“In the same vein, NDLEA operatives in Borno state have arrested a 70-year-old grandfather, Mallam Mai Gemu Adam and 65-year-old Yamama Musa for drug trafficking. They were arrested on Saturday, March 9, along with 24-year-old Abubakar Ya’u and Babagana Abubakar Ali, 28, in Maiduguri and Gamboru-Ngala respectively while 32,000 ampoules of tramadol injection were recovered from them.

“Same day, operatives at Geidam in Yobe state intercepted a Golf 3 salon car heading to Gagamari in Niger republic, where the occupant, Alhaji Mala Tijjani, 28, was to deliver 40 blocks of cannabis weighing 24.5kg to another dealer, while 42 cartons containing 8,400 bottles of codeine syrup weighing 1,260 kilograms were recovered from a driver, Mutari Ya’u, 29, at Katsina road, Kaduna on Tuesday, March 5,” it noted.

In Kano state, the agency stated that 35-year-old Nura Yusuf was arrested with 62kg of cannabis in the Gadar Tamburawa area, where Abubakar Sani, 40, was also nabbed with 244 bottles of codeine syrup, while Mohammad Alkali, 28, was found with 49, 800 pills of tramadol along Kano-Maiduguri road, on Thursday, March 7.

Similarly, NDLEA operatives in Lagos on Wednesday arrested Aba Thomas in the Igbo Elerin area of the state where 84 litres of skuchies, 1.1 litres of codeine syrup, 4kg cannabis sativa, and 800 tablets of tramadol 225mg were seized from him.

It said, “No fewer than eight suspects were arrested on Friday where NDLEA officers raided the notorious Karu abattoir drug joint in the FCT, Abuja with 51.3kg cannabis recovered from them. Those arrested include: Buhari Muhammadu; Jamilu Muhammed; Abubakar Wappa; Yahaya Tasiu; Ezekiel Mulanda; Abba Haruna; Habibu Umar and Shamsu Lawali.

“In Plateau state, two suspects: Pam Thomas, 45, and Stephen Nyam, 38, were on Monday, March 4, arrested with cannabis weighing 611.428kg at Zawan, Jos South, while in Kogi state, NDLEA officers intercepted a commercial J5 bus coming from Onitsha, Anambra state to Zaria, Kaduna state on Wednesday 6th March along Okene-Lokoja-Abuja expressway where a total of 8,580 pills of tramadol and exol-5 were seized from a suspect, Yusuf Abdullahi, 40.

“In Enugu, operatives on Tuesday 5th March raided some locked-up shops at the new market in Enugu metropolitan area where 371.42kg cannabis and 9.49 grams of methamphetamine were recovered.

“The NDLEA Commands across the country in the same vein balanced their drug supply reduction operations with War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, advocacy campaigns to schools, markets, worship centres and communities. Some of these include: WADA sensitisation lecture for 1,320 students of Government Secondary School, Madakiya, Kafanchan LGA, Kaduna; students and teachers of Kingdom Heritage School, Badagry, Lagos; students of Comprehensive Secondary School, Bichi, Kano; as well as WADA advocacy visit to Ekiti State First Lady, Dr. (Mrs) Olayemi Oyebanji and her Abia State counterpart, Mrs. Priscilla Otti, among several others.”

While commending the efforts of the Borno, Kogi, Kaduna, Kano, Osun, Lagos, Plateau, Enugu, Yobe, and FCT Commands of the agency for jobs well done in the past week, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) charged them and their compatriots in other formations nationwide not to rest on their oars as they continue to intensify their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction activities