By Joyce Ekeh
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have intercepted more than 1.3 million pills and capsules of tramadol and other opioids, alongside about 6,000kg of cannabis, in intelligence-led operations across eight states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The agency said the seizures, which included 603.75kg of Canadian Loud valued at about N1.81 billion, were part of a series of operations in Lagos, Edo, Niger, Delta, Ondo, Gombe, Imo and the FCT.
NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this yesterday, saying operatives also arrested a suspected fake police officer allegedly using a forged identity card to evade security checks while transporting illicit drugs.
Babafemi said the suspect, 49-year-old Innocent Ekpe, was arrested on September 16 along the Benin-Onitsha Expressway in Asaba, Delta State, with 292.48kg of skunk concealed in a Toyota Sienna bus.
He said investigation revealed that Ekpe allegedly posed as Godwin Emeka, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, using a forged police identification card to avoid scrutiny at checkpoints.
An alleged accomplice, 39-year-old Nduka Joseph, was also arrested.
At the Tin-Can Island Port, Lagos, NDLEA operatives, acting on intelligence, monitored a 40-foot container shipped from Montreal, Canada, which arrived on September 12.
According to Babafemi, a joint examination with the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies on September 16 uncovered 1,200 parcels of Canadian Loud weighing 603.75kg.
The consignment, valued at N1.811 billion, was concealed in 31 black jumbo bags loaded inside two Toyota Sienna vehicles within the container.
In Edo State, operatives arrested 45-year-old Matthew Ossai at an auto-repair workshop on Agbor Road, Benin City, where 48kg of Canadian Loud and 152 grammes of methamphetamine were allegedly recovered.
In Niger State, three suspects — Bashir Usman, 20; Abubakar Nuhu, 18; and Abdulrahman Abdulwahab, 18 — were arrested on September 15 along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway at Chachi, Tafa Local Government Area.
The suspects were allegedly found with two locally fabricated AK-47 rifles, a magazine, a locally made pistol with a magazine and nine rounds of 9mm ammunition concealed in a black travel bag.
On the Abaji-Abuja Highway, two suspects, Aminu Isyaku, 23, and Jamilu Habibu, 25, were arrested on September 18 with more than 1.1 million assorted tramadol tablets and capsules, codeine syrup, methamphetamine and Exol tablets.
Babafemi said the drugs were concealed in eight sacks reportedly being transported from Onitsha, Anambra State, to Mararaba, Nasarawa State.
In Lagos, Onyeka Ofor was arrested at his residence in Aguda, Surulere, on September 18 with 48,900 pills of tramadol 225mg.
Also in the state, NDLEA operatives intercepted seven cartons containing 59kg of cannabis sativa at a logistics company and arrested a suspect, Luke Ugokwe.
Another suspect, Ibrahim Hudu, 43, was arrested at Apongbo on September 17 with 998.38kg of nitrous oxide gas.
In Gombe State, 154,480 capsules of tramadol were recovered from two suspects, Sabi’u Umar, 27, and Hassana Muhammad, 19, who were arrested at Barunde and Gombe Main Market respectively.
In Imo State, 25-year-old Ifesinachi Godwin was arrested along the Owerri-Onitsha Road with 43.85kg of skunk.
Similarly, four suspects — Blessing Effiong, Saviour Peter, David Friday Sunday and Ability Peter Sunday — were arrested during a raid on a two-hectare cannabis farm in Ita-Ogbolu forest, Ondo State.
Babafemi said 5,000kg of skunk was destroyed during the operation, while an additional 48kg of dry and fresh cannabis was recovered.
Meanwhile, NDLEA commands and formations continued with the agency’s War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitisation programmes in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities.
The agency said the campaigns included enlightenment lectures at St. Ferdinand School, Ogbomoso, Oyo State; Unizik Secondary School, Awka, Anambra State; Scholars Nursery and Primary School, Epe, Lagos; and Government Technical Training School, Jalingo, Taraba State.
The Delta Ports Command also paid a WADA advocacy visit to the Pere Ama-Okosu of Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, King Couple Mackson Oromoni Mobene III.
Commending officers and men involved in the operations, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), urged personnel across the country to sustain the agency’s intelligence-led and balanced approach to drug control.
