• As NDLEA intercepts 399 Kaduna-bound explosives.
• Arrests grandma, others over 2 tons of illicit drugs seized in raids.

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have intercepted consignments of skunk concealed in tins of tomato paste and methamphetamine hidden in used clothes, meant for export to Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.

While the skunk in tomato pastes consignment weighing 20.00 kilograms was intercepted on Friday 8th September at the SAHCO export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja, the meth shipment with a gross weight of 1.60kg was seized at a courier company in Lagos.

Another consignment of 556 grams of Canadian Loud sent from Canada to one Tunji Adebayo in Ikorodu, Lagos was also intercepted by NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, DOGI, attached to courier firms. Though Adebayo was not home when operatives visited his house at 52, Aina Atoloye street, Ikorodu, he however directed his younger brother to sign for the package on his behalf. The brother was promptly arrested.

Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives on Monday 4th September raided the enclave of a notorious drug lord in Akala, Mushin, Lagos, Abdul Rauf (aka ‘Na God’) where 1,101kgs of Ghanaian Loud were recovered and three suspects arrested while the wanted kingpin remains at large.

In Kogi, 22-year-old Agada Emmanuel was arrested with 77.400kgs cannabis on Thursday 7th September along Okene – Lokoja – Abuja expressway while a total of 369,980 pills of opioids were also recovered on the same road on Monday 4th September and the suspect linked to the seizure, Kabiru Ahmad Abdullahi arrested in a follow up operation in Gombe state.

No fewer than 399 pieces of improvised explosive devices were recovered by NDLEA operatives from one Asana Oluwagbenga Leke, 39, along Mokwa-Jebba road on Thursday 7th September. In his statement, the suspect said the explosives were handed to him at a park in Ibadan to be delivered to someone in Kaduna. The suspect and exhibits have since been transferred to the military authorities in Niger state.

In Ogun state, a follow up operation led to the arrest of Yinka Azeez at Sabo Lafenwa, Abeokuta on Tuesday 5th September following the seizure of 41kgs cannabis from Titilayo Adetayo at Sagumu Interchange the previous day. At least, two suspects: Muhammad Aliyu, 38, and Abdullahi Zakariya, 40, were arrested in Zaria-Kano Road and Haye Arewa, Hotoro, Kano, respectively over 426.5 kilograms of skunk seized from them on Tuesday 5th September.

While Onyeka Uzor, 25, was arrested at Idemili, Anambra state, with 64.8kgs skunk and tramadol, another suspect, Destiny Irabor was nabbed on Friday 8th September with over 180kgs of opioids loaded in his Toyota Sienna bus. In Kaduna, two suspects: Ahmed Yusuf and Rilwan Nura were arrested on Wednesday 6th September in connection with the seizure of 100 blocks of cannabis weighing 55kgs along Abuja road.

In Edo state, operatives stormed the Ekudo forest, Onwude LGA where they destroyed cannabis farms measuring 4.236347 hectares. In the same vein, operatives on Thursday 7th September raided the house of one Amuodu Egwehide, 40, in Iloje Okpuje, Owan West LGA, where they recovered 22 bags of skunk weighing 261.4kgs, while a 60-year-old grandma, Mrs. Eunice Egwehide was arrested in the town same day with 17kgs of same substance seized from her.

A suspect, Gapchiya Modu, 26, was arrested with 60kgs of cannabis along Kano-Nguru Road, Nguru, Yobe state, while in Imo state, 200 blocks of the same substance weighing 57kgs were recovered from Usim Orji, 45, along Aba-Owerri road on Wednesday 6th September.

After over two months of surveillance, NDLEA operatives on Wednesday 6th September arrested a wanted kingpin, Idoko Festus Ifesinachi, 40, linked to the importation of 76.9kgs Canadian Loud intercepted in a container marked MSDU6686346 at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers state on 2nd June. He was arrested at his hideout in Lagos and taken to Port Harcourt.

Beside the various drug control efforts, the state Commands and other formations also continued the Agency’s War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, advocacy campaigns to schools, worship places, palaces and local communities among others. Among them include WADA advocacy visit to His Royal Highness, Emir of Hadejia, Alhaji Adamu Abubakar Maji; the sensitization lectures conducted for members of Hairdressers Association, Ila Orangun; at RCCG, Dominion Tower, Port Harcourt, and for Muslim faithful at Harmony Estate central mosque, Ilorin, among others.

While commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Ogun, Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Kogi, Anambra, Niger, Edo, Yobe, and Imo Commands of the Agency as well as those of DOGI, for their balanced efforts in drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction activities, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) urged them and their compatriots across the country to keep up the good work.

Femi Babafemi

Director, Media & Advocacy

NDLEA National Headquarters Abuja

Sunday 10th September 2023