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Tag: National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)

  • NDLEA dismantles six drug syndicates, arrests nine kingpins

    NDLEA dismantles six drug syndicates, arrests nine kingpins

    …recovers tons of illicit drugs in flight boarding pass, others

    …nabs ladies for selling Colos-laced brownies online

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has said it has dismantled no fewer than six syndicates, leading to the seizure of tons of assorted illicit drugs and the arrest of nine kingpins in a series of intelligence-led interdiction operations.

    Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

    Babafemi said in one of such operations, NDLEA officers on Tuesday 18th November 2025 arrested two members of a drug trafficking organization in Onitsha, Anambra state when they showed up to take delivery of 5.40 kilograms of methamphetamine; 10.70 kilograms of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis; 16grams of cocaine; 200grams of phenacetin; 200grams of methcathinone and 100grams of caffeine concealed in pressure machine cylinders imported from South Africa.

    “The first to show up at a logistics company in Onitsha for the collection of the consignments was 30-year-old electrical appliances dealer Ebulue Lotanwa Uzochukwu who was promptly arrested while shortly after, another member of the syndicate 51-year-old South Africa returnee Christopher Michael Ndibuisi showed up and was equally arrested.

    “The consignments had arrived the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja-Lagos with airway bill number 118-12882973 arriving from South Africa on a Tag-Angola flight on 13th November 2025 and was immediately seized based on credible intelligence. A follow up sting operation was thereafter organized in Onitsha, Anambra state where the recipients: Uzochukwu and Ndibuisi were arrested.

    “In another operation at the Lagos airport, NDLEA operatives on Thursday 20th November intercepted a brake servo automobile part used to conceal 48 pellets and a block of cocaine with a gross weight of 2.30 kilograms packed among other auto parts going to Gabon.

    Following the arrest of a freight agent Ameh Solomon who presented the consignment for export, a follow up at ASMPDA market, Trade Fair Complex, Ojo Lagos led to the arrest of an auto parts dealer Nwafor Tochukwu Boniface,” the statement reads.

    Babafemi said in Kogi state, NDLEA operatives on Monday 17th November intercepted a trailer conveying 4,700 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis at Kabba.

    According to the statement, three suspects: Solomon Dauda, Friday Garba and Daniel Danladi accompanying the consignment were arrested while a follow up operation in Jos, Plateau state on Friday 21st November led to the arrest of the kingpin who owns the trailer and the illicit drug consignment,  Marcus Danladi Dan Mangu.

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    The statement reads, “A couple: 55-year-old Onun Okoi Okpotum and his wife 52-year-old Itam Okoi Okpotum were arrested on Wednesday, 19th November at their warehouse located at 13 Park road, Ugep Yakur LGA, Cross River state, where 362 jumbo bags of skunk  weighing 4,706 kilograms were recovered.

    “In Edo state, two ladies: Praise Nwogu, 19, and Ebong Emem Oghosa, 25, who specialize in the production and online sale of brownies laced with illicit drugs, were on Saturday, 22nd November arrested in Benin City. At the point of their arrest, Praise Nwogu was found with 12 plates and a cup of drug-laced brownies laced while Ebong Emem Oghosa was nabbed with 76grams of skunk, 1.5grams of Colorado, and drug-laced brownies.

    “A raid at Ososo village, Akoko Edo LGA, on Tuesday, 18th November, led to the arrest of 35-year-old Shedrack Aminu, who was found with 59kg of skunk.

    “Operatives on patrol along Enugu/Onitsha road, Enugu, on Wednesday, 19th November, intercepted a suspect, Chinoso Emmanuel Monday, 24, conveying 10.1kg skunk; 105,600 pills of tramadol 250mg, 225mg, and 100mg as well as 700 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 3000 rounds of live ammunition.”

    Babafemi said in Kebbi state, 13,155 bottles of codeine-based syrup were evacuated from a warehouse located at Dole-Kaina, Dandi LGA, while a 23-year-old suspect, Umar Adamu, was arrested with 12,548 pills of opioids concealed in paracetamol containers heading to a Boko Haram enclave in Minok area of Borno state on Friday, 21st November.

    He said two suspects, Anthony Mercy, 40, and Sunday Augustine, 39, were arrested on Monday, 17th November, with 430.5kg by NDLEA operatives on patrol along Abaji- Abuja expressway in the FCT, while Samson Dafe, 47, was arrested at Dikko junction, Kaduna road, Tafa LGA, Niger state on Tuesday, 18th November, conveying 85,100 pills of opioids and 5,456 bottles of codeine syrup in his Sharon vehicle marked ABJ 114 BV.

    He added that the premises of a suspect, Sani Mohammed, in Anguwan Makera Kuta, Shiroro LGA, were raided on Thursday, 20th November raided with 437 blocks of compressed skunk weighing 471.8 kilograms recovered.

    It reads, “In Lagos, a suspect, Usman Ayoola Adegoke, was arrested in connection with the seizure of 139 pouches of Canadian Loud weighing 71kg at an apartment in Lekki, while a lady, Oluchi Celestine, was nabbed on Tuesday, 18th November nabbed in Lekki with 2.6kg Colorado packaged in branded containers and some concealed in flight boarding cards.

    “Acting on credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives supported by some military personnel on Monday, 17th November, raided the notorious Peti illicit drug enclave, Lagos Island, where 385 kilograms of skunk, Loud and Colorado were recovered and two suspects arrested.

    “No less than 163,200 capsules of tramadol 225mg were also recovered in another operation at a motor park in the Maza Maza area of Lagos.

    With the same vigour, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities, among others, in the past week.

    “These include: WADA sensitization lecture to students and staff of Baptist High School, Ilero, Oyo state; St. Michael Anglican Primary School, Afuye Epe, Lagos; Government Day Senior and Junior Secondary School, Kurami, Katsina; Women Day Secondary, Kontogora, Niger state; Government Day Secondary School, Takatuku, Sokoto; St. Paul’s College, Eke, Enugu; and Iwoye Area Community High School, Iwoye, Ogun state, among others.

    “While commending the officers and men of MMIA, Lagos, Kogi, Edo, Cross River, Enugu, Kebbi, Niger, Borno, and FCT Commands for the various successful operations, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the Agency.”

    Justifying the current heavy crackdown on drug trafficking syndicates, Marwa said the coming festive season is usually a period often exploited by criminal elements, hence the Agency has decided to launch a relentless offensive on drug trafficking cartels across the nation.

    “The coming weeks present both an opportunity and a challenge. Drug cartels may attempt to increase their illegal activities, seeking to profit during the busy holiday period. We must not, and we will not, let down our guard”, he said.

  • Navy hands over 840kg of seized cannabis to NDLEA

    Navy hands over 840kg of seized cannabis to NDLEA

    The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT yesterday handed over 20 bags of suspected cannabis sativa weighing 840kg to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

    Executive Officer of NNS BEECROFT, Capt. Idongesit Udoessien, said the move was part of efforts to curb illicit drug trafficking and enhance maritime security in Lagos State.

    Udoessien represented the Commander, NNS BEECROFT, Commodore Paul Nimmyel, at the handover ceremony held at the naval base in Apapa, Lagos.

    He said the Base Quick Response Team, supported by Operation MESA personnel, intercepted a van last Thursday around Ijegun, loaded with the suspected drugs.

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    “The suspects abandoned the vehicle and fled upon sighting our patrol team. The vehicle and the cannabis have been handed to the NDLEA for action,” Udoessien said.

    He said the seizure was part of ongoing efforts by the Nigerian Navy, under the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Emmanuel Ogalla, to tackle maritime crimes.

    Udoessien reaffirmed the Navy’s commitment to supporting internal security operations and collaborating with other agencies to safeguard the nation’s waterways and coastal communities.

    He added that NNS BEECROFT would intensify patrols and intelligence-driven missions to deny criminals access to Lagos waterways and adjoining creeks.

    “We commend the vigilance of our personnel and urge citizens to provide credible information to enhance security across Lagos State,” Udoessien said.

  • NDLEA’s WADA success stories

    NDLEA’s WADA success stories

    Sir: The War Against Drug Abuse (WADA), spearheaded by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), is a full-on assault on a problem that’s been eating away at the country’s social fabric. Launched on June 26, 2021, under the Buhari administration, it is not just about busting drug dealers though there is plenty of that it is a broader push to choke both the supply and demand for illicit drugs through enforcement, education, and community action.

    Nigeria’s drug issue is grim. Cannabis, codeine, tramadol, and methamphetamine (locally called “ice” or “mkpuru mmiri”) are rampant, especially among youth. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), cannabis topped the list, followed by opioids and cough syrups laced with codeine. This is not just a health crisis, it’s a fuel for crime, cultism, and insurgency, with groups like Boko Haram reportedly bankrolling operations through drug trafficking.

    WADA’s strategy splits into two lanes. On the supply side, the NDLEA’s Offensive Action, kicked off in January 2021, has been relentless. Under retired Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa’s leadership, the agency racked up big wins: over 57,792 arrests, 10,572 convictions, and over 10 million kilograms of drugs seized.

    The demand side is where WADA’s heart lies: prevention through awareness. They’ve rolled out sensitization campaigns hitting schools, mosques, churches, markets, workplaces nationwide, and lectures at places like Maku Grammar School in Oyo or Jama’atu Islamiyya in Kogi State.

    How did they do it? Grassroots hustle and smart partnerships. NDLEA’s 36 state commands teamed up with local leaders, traditional rulers, youth groups, even Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) to host talks and rallies. The “Save Our Families” campaign in 2024 handed out drug-test kits to parents; this is to prevent the drug abuse menace from homes.

    The results are showing. By mid-2024, over 13,000 people got counselling or rehab, a leap from just 599 in 2020 with 8,129 helped last year alone, according to Leadership on February 25. That is, people choosing change because they’ve heard the message. In Imo State, after a 2024 talk, teachers started watching for trouble signs. In Kaduna State, a February 24 event led residents to promise drug-free neighbourhoods, and calls to NDLEA’s helpline jumped hundreds a month by early 2025. In Kano, with 1.07 million users as Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa noted at the launch of a sensitization campaign against drug abuse, domestic violence, and illicit drug trade, organized by the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Kaduna, Marwa talks about Almajiri kids; he aims to cut the number of young people dealers can target, which could lower crime like gang fights and theft.

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    Just this year, WADA’s sensitization efforts are hitting schools and communities hard, lectures at Federal Cooperative College in Ibadan on February 20, warning students off drugs, or the ongoing push in the FCT with new area commands in Kwali and Kuje to spread the message deeper. They are not slowing down from 2024’s pace where they reached over 1.8 million people alone.

    But the battle is not yet over. Drugs still flow, and poverty keeps some hooked. But with over 10 million kilogrammes seized including 25 tons destroyed in Kogi this week, NDLEA pairs that with outreach to make a difference. WADA’s success is not just in the drugs they stop; it’s in the minds they reach. This fight shows Nigeria can push back, step by step, with a plan that is working.

    Looking ahead, the NDLEA could sharpen its edge by embracing today’s technology. Currently, NDLEA relies heavily on human intelligence and physical operations. Their officers, including the elite Strike Force formed in 2021, conduct raids, patrols, and manual searches at airports, seaports, borders, and highways. But these efforts, while effective, are basic compared to what is available in 2025.

    Traffickers are adapting, hiding drugs in compressors, duvets, even soap bars, as seen in recent busts. Drones, for instance, are not widely mentioned in their operations, yet could scour remote cannabis farms or border stash points. Digital tracking, AI or data analytics to map online drug deals or shipping patterns seems underutilized.

    As-sayyidul Arafat Abdulrazaq, (NYSC),Abuja.

  • Why not?

    Why not?

    There is nothing wrong with testing politicians for drugs

    Politicians are at their best when arguing over either nothing or something. When especially in the legislative houses, they huff and puff, either to gain attention or give the impression that they are friends of the people they represent, with a view to winning the next election.

    The debate over enacting an act to establish a National Institute for Drug Awareness and Rehabilitation offered such an opportunity in the Senate as it sparked a row over it that was desirable. While Senator Rufa’i Hanga who sponsored it,  and Senator Sumaila Kawu who spoke in support argued vociferously that the institute had become imperative, given the alleged prevalence of substance abuse in the country among some politicians, those opposed to it also found time to object to the substance of the bill.

    We quite agree that the rate of hard drug abuse, promotion and peddling in the country now calls for taking another

    look at the legal framework for tackling the menace that is strongly linked to the growing rate of crime in the country. It is an open secret that the views expressed in the chamber by Senator Kawu to the effect that politicians promote the growing use of hard drugs in the country is not new. However, the fact that it came from one of their own is quite significant.

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    The senator who represents Kano South said, “As I am speaking now, most of our offices in our constituencies, most of our political offices, most of our houses when you go there, you will find a mountain of drugs. There are drug dealers in our offices and houses – in all our houses.” It was shocking to his colleagues who thought it was a sweeping statement, but he was speaking from a position of knowledge and threw a challenge that he was ready to lead a search to substantiate his claims. It is easy to get it all settled in the now familiar mode of killing the move without thoroughly examining what provoked it in the public interest, even though it passed the second reading test; we, the informed and critical stakeholders following the development should ensure that such an important piece of legislation lives to sanitise the society.

    We agree with Senator Adams Oshiomhole who argues that there should be no more proliferation of agencies in the country and such an end could still be achieved by strengthening and expanding the scope of the lead institution for fighting infestation of drug abuse, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). There is also the National Orientation Agency (NOA) that could be made more functional and enabled to establish a desk for promoting awareness of the menace and its implication.

    But, it is frightening that the country’s leaders could be implicated in such a horrendous crime. As the senators promoting the bill explained, rough necks recruited during elections to fight opponents are usually armed with drugs and weapons. Such become hooked on it and they become serious terror to the society.

     The trial of the Offa armed robbers established this as politicians were mentioned as sponsors of the criminals whose cases were decided in September.

    Nigeria must find an urgent solution to the festering danger to national security. The NDLEA has said no less than 15 per cent of citizens are hooked on drugs. In the same way that tertiary institutions’ students are being proposed to be made to undergo drug test at admission, politicians who are being empowered to run the state should do the same. It is time to put in place measures to have leaders who are above board.

  • Pump Action gun found on me was collateral for loan, says suspect

    A suspected drug baron identified as James Ameh (54), who was arrested by the Kogi State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has claimed that the Pump Action gun found on him served as collateral from a friend who he still owes him N80,000.

    The suspect who was arrested in the early hours of Thursday, was found in possession of a loaded Pump Action gun.

    About 40 personnel of the NDLEA along side officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC) left from Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, to effect the arrest of Amen, who had been on the wanted list of the command for several months.

    It was gathered that the suspect who was arrested in Igolijo, Igalamela/Odolu Local Government Area, allegedly has 10 hectares of land where he cultivated cannabis sativa (Indian Hemp).

    Ameh who was arrested alongside six other suspects, namely: Usman Bello, Eze Stanley, Innocent Ameh, Samuel Idoko, Ojima Ojo and Ekene Ukwueze told journalists that he got the Pump Action gun from his friend who he still owes N80,000.

    The suspect who is also a  native doctor denied ownership of the gun, saying that it served as collateral towards recovering his money.

    According to him: “I am not the real owner of this Pump Action gun. It belongs to a friend who is owing me N80,000. I needed my money back urgently to do something with it. I am sorry; I never knew that having this in my house would put me into trouble. As for the issue of dealing on drugs and having hectares of land for cannabis, it is also not true”.

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    Speaking with newsmen shortly after the arrest the head of the Kogi State Command of the NDLEA, Alhaji Idris Bello, said that the arrest of the suspect and his accomplices, was through information gathered by officers of the command.

    He warned that anyone that is caught engaging in illegal drug business will be made to face the full wrath of the law, adding that the suspects will be charged to court as soon as investigation is concluded, and the items recovered from them, including the Pump Action gun and seven live cartridges will be confiscated.

  • NDLEA promises rehabilitation for drug-addicted Corps members

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Anambra state has called on corps members addicted to drugs to come up for rehabilitation.

    The Public Relations Officer of the agency in the state, Charles Odigie, stated at this the weekend while addressing 2019 Batch B Stream 1 corps members at the NYSC Temporary Orientation Camp, Umunya, Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State.

    He lamented increase in cases of drug abuse particularly among the youths, pledging the agency’s readiness to assist the victims overcome the challenge.

    He said, “Shun drugs and stay drug-free at all times. Corps members who are already addicted to drugs are enjoined to come forward for rehabilitation.

    Read Also: NDLEA arrests 200 drug suspects in Lagos

    While listing the dangers of drug use, abuse and addiction, Odigie tasked the corps members to shun friends and acquaintances who abuse drugs.

    “Come forward for rehabilitation if you are already addicted to drugs and  we promise to help you overcome your problems,” he added.

     

  • NDLEA arrests 200 drug suspects in Lagos

    National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Lagos State Command on Wednesday said it has arrested over 200 drug suspects in the last six months.

    Its Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Command also said it recorded a seizure of 146.820 kilogrammes of drugs from 33 suspected traffickers.

    NDLEA State Commander Frederick Ezeorah in a to commemorate the United Nation Day Against Drug Abuse and Trafficking, said the command has been confronting drug abuse and trafficking through the instrumentalities of our raid operations, prosecution and public enlightenment.

    He said: “From January this year to date, we have arrested over 200 drug suspects and made a seizure of 4,117.34 kilograms of various illicit drugs.

    “Within the same period, 46 persons have been convicted and sent to jail and one 175 drug users have been counselled and released. We have also carried out various public enlightenment programme in various schools and other public places.”

    Read Also: Two notorious drug addicts convicted in Anambra

    The NDLEA Airport Commander, Garba Ahmadu said 28 males and five females were nabbed with various Illicit drugs carefully concealment in different ways.

    These drugs include cocaine, methamphetamine, cannabis sativa , heroin and ephedrine.

    According to the NDLEA commander, the drugs were concealed in tomato cans, baby diapers, foodstuff, body lotion containers and ingestion.

    Giving a breakdown of the drugs, he said, “Cocaine 15.580 kg, heroin 14.720kg, cannabis sativa 54.140kg, methamphetamine 34.240kg and ephedrine 28.140.

    “We had three internal concealments that the ones that swallowed”.

    Speaking on cartels who plant drugs in passenger’s luggage in connivance with airline staff and ground handling staff, Ahmadu advised airlines to always deploy senior officials to airports for baggage tagging to avoid the Kano incident.

  • 27 million involved in illicit drugs globally – NDLEA

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has expressed worry over prevalent cases of drug abuse among youths in the country.

    Anambra State commander, Mr. Sule Momodu, stated this on Sunday in Onitsha at the annual feast of Barracuda/Symposium of the National Association of Seadogs (Pirate Confraternity).

    Delivering a paper titled “Tackling the Menace of Prevalent Drug Abuse/Use Amongst the Youths”, Momodu said over 27 million persons were involved in illicit drugs across the world.

    The NDLEA boss who was represented at the occasion by Mrs. Thompson Chinwe, a habilitation expert, canvassed for stiffer penalty for offenders.

    He said, “Drug abuse is a global problem. About 27 million people are using illicit drugs. Drug abuse is no respecter of any person.

    “The youths are becoming addicted to drugs nowadays with its attendant harmful effects. Something must be done to checkmate the trend.

    Read Also: NDLEA arrests 9,824 drug suspects

    “Members of the judiciary and the legislature can also help to curb the prevalence of this by enacting stiffer penalty or punishment to the offenders.”

    Describing drug abuse as excessive intake of substance without doctors prescription, Momodu also called on parents to monitor their children to detect when they were developing certain abnormal behaviors that might result to drug abuse.

    Earlier, State President, National Association of SeaDogs, Ikem Mazeli, said the association was established to fights harmful behaviours and practices among members of the society.

    “Barracuda stands for those ills that confront our society at large that if not checked might have serious harmful effects on the members of the public,” he said.

     

  • NDLEA arrests 9,824 drug suspects

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said it arrested 9,824 suspected drug offenders and recovered 316,365.47 kilogrammes of illicit drugs in 2018.

    Head of Public Affairs of the agency, Mr Jonah Achema, disclosed this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.

    Achema said that 9,122 of the nabbed suspects were males while 702 were females, adding that the agency prosecuted 1, 245 offenders during the period.

    He said that the agency secured 1, 236 convictions, while seven cases were acquitted and two struck out.

    According to him, from the total number of kilogrammes of drugs recovered, Cannabis Sativa weighed 271,812 kilogrammes while Codeine Cough syrups intercepted was 16,039 kilogrammes.

    Achema said that Cannabis Sativa was the only locally cultivated illicit drug in Nigeria, while Cough syrups with codeine content had been banned since 2018 because of its widespread abuse.

    He also stated that the agency destroyed 3, 660 hectares of cannabis farms during the period and recovered 40 tonnes of the weed abandoned on the farms.

    The spokesman added that the agency discovered a temporary warehouse in a forest bordering Uteh, a community in Ondo State where 130 tonnes of cannabis was stored.

    “In order to ensure that drugs seized do not find their way back into the society and not to constitute threat to public health, the agency sustained its public destruction of drug exhibits by burning.

    “Cumulatively, the agency publicly destroyed 375, 371.79 kilograms of illicit substances. This is made up of 14 tonnes of drugs seized over a period of two years in Adamawa.

    “In Ondo State, the agency destroyed 110 tonnes while in Edo, it destroyed 136 tonnes, and set six tonnes ablaze in Jigawa.

    Read Also: NDLEA arrests man with 32 sacks of Indian hemp

    In Delta, the agency recently destroyed approximately 90 tonnes of illicit drugs and 18 tonnes in Kogi,” he said.

    Achema recalled that the NDLEA extended its dragnet to Tramadol, which had become a drug of choice for users.

    According to him, in the third quarter of 2018, the agency recovered 581 million tablets of Tramadol in search operations at Apapa port.

    “The illicit Tramadol tablets were recovered from 23 containers. Tramadol is a narcotic-like pain reliever used to treat severe pain; it is obvious that the current influx of Tramadol is not for legitimate use.

    “Tramadol which is a derivative of Opiate is for post-surgery application, and the seizures in recent times, far outweigh the country’s legitimate needs.

    “It only suggests massive illicit use in the country,” he said.

    Achema said that Tramadol seized in the hinterland during the period was 22,562 kilogrammes, adding that 270.08 kilogrammes of Methamphetamine were also seized.

    He said that the agency also discovered laboratories in Enugu and Imo, where 20 kilogrammes and 77.96 kilogrammes of Methamphetamine were destroyed.

    “This brings to 15 the number of Methamphetamine laboratories so far discovered in Nigeria between 2011 and 2018.

    “Methamphetamine is an emerging drug clandestinely produced in the country. It is a highly addictive substance that affects the central nervous system,’’ he explained.

    Achema said that NDLEA had been involved in the commemoration of International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking, saying the agency used annual awareness days to highlight the dangers of drug use and its illegal trade.

    “It has also provided educational material to stakeholders all over Nigeria to help amplify the message about the extreme cultural and economic harm the trade in drugs is still doing across the globe.

    “It also used it to sensitize government at all levels to intensify their efforts at combating both drug demand and supply, while improving access to treatment for addicts,’’ he said.

    Achema disclosed that 2,777 persons addicted to drug were undergoing treatment and rehabilitation under the agency’s scheme.

    “Drug abuse education has been infused into the curriculum of both formal and informal education in the country,” he stated.

    NAN

     

  • NDLEA arrests Saudi-bound septuagenarian, other for alleged drug trafficking

    Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) have arrested 72-year-old Mohammed Hamza and Kamisu Mohammed, 25, for attempting to ferry illicit drugs from Kano to Saudi Arabia.

    According to the MAKIA NDLEA Commander, Mr. Ambrose Umoru, Hamza, who hails from Gwaranduma village, Daura in Katsina state was arrested on April 24 at the screening point, while trying to board an aircraft to Saudi Arabia.

    He said further investigations, which led to the arrest of Kamisu Mohammed, revealed that the 72-year- old, a stark illiterate was not aware that drugs were planted inside his luggage.

    “In fact, the drug peddlers told the old man that they were sponsoring him to perform lesser hajj in the Holy Land.

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    “They brought him to Kano from Katsina and lodged him in a hotel for three days during which they planted tramadol inside his luggage, unknown to him.

    “When our officers discovered the illicit drugs from his bag, upon interrogation, he told us where he was coming from.

    “Immediately, we deployed our officers inside the town and Kamisu Mohammed was apprehended.”

    He added: “The interesting twist on this very case is that the same Kamisu Mohammed was arrested last year for planting drugs inside the luggage of two women, though the women were his partners in crime, unlike the 72-year old man who didn’t know why they were sending him to Saudi Arabia.

    “This very Kamisu is on bail over that very case of last year. To show that he is serial criminal, this time when he was arrested, he tried to change his name because the name he gave us last year was Kamisu Safiyanu and this time he told us that his name is Kamisu Mohammed. He is still in our custody and will soon be re-arraigned in court.”