The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said it intercepted 532 parcels of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis Sativa (Indian hemp) at the Tincan Seaport, Lagos State.
The agency’s Director, Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi, said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
Babafemi said that the drugs, which weighed 265.25kg were found inside a black Toyota Sienna bus, on Wednesday, Aug. 7.
He said that the bus was one of the three vehicles in a container marked MSMU 6029570 coming from Montreal, Canada.
“The seizure was made during a 100 per cent joint examination with men of Customs Service and other stakeholders.
“The following day, Thursday, the operatives recorded yet another seizure of 75 parcels of the same substance weighing 37.5kg in a container marked FSCU-9274613, that came from Canada,”he said.
Illicit drugs recovered by Operatives of the NDLEA In another development, In Adamawa, NDLEA operatives on Thursday, with the support of men of operation Farauta Sector 3, Mayo Belwa, detained a 49-year-old Joseph Peter over an alleged drug trafficking.
Babafemi said that the suspect was found with 425 compressed blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 291.200kg in his Toyota Camry car marked Lagos KSF 381 HM.
The NDLEA spokesman said the suspect claimed he was bringing the consignment from Edo to be delivered in Yola, Adamawa.
Also, two suspects: Adekunle Adebayo, 50, and Yahaya Mamuda, 35, were apprehended and detained at Gadar Tamburawa area of Kano on Tuesday with 29.5kg cannabis.
Babafemi said that NDLEA operatives in Lagos also recovered 1,169 kilogrammes of the same psychoactive substance concealed in a bus along Orchid road, Ajah on Sunday Aug. 4.
According to him, no less than 1,230.00kg of cannabis was destroyed on three hectares of farmland at Ikeje forest, Edimogo village, Igalamela/ Odolu Local Government Area, Kogi on Friday.
“This was carried out by NDLEA officers supported by men of the Nigerian Army while the owner, Danjuma Maji, 40, was detained, “he said.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA (NDLEA) has recovered multi-billion-naira worth of cocaine concealed in heavy duty auto pivot shafts, and Ghanaian fabric, Kente at a courier firm in Lagos.
In a statement, its Director, Media and Advocacy, Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, said this was among other such recoveries, in a nationwide intelligence-led operation by its officers.
Babafemi said 2.32 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed in clothes, which was headed for the United Kingdom, was intercepted at a courier firm in Lagos on August 5.
He added that 10.494kg of the same class A drug buried in heavy duty pivot shafts heading to the United States were recovered at the same logistics company after the NDLEA sniffer dogs fished out the auto spare parts containing the illicit drug.
The NDLEA spokesman said five other consignments headed for the U.S., U.K. and Canada were also intercepted at the courier firm in Lagos last Saturday.
He said they include 517 grammes of cocaine in clothing materials; various quantities of pentazocine injection, promethazine injection and cocodamol pills, all heading to the UK as well as 297 pills of tramadol 225mg going to Canada.
In a logistics company in Lagos, Babafemi said, NDLEA operatives recovered 21 parcels of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 10kg coming from the U.S. and meant for delivery in Abuja.
He said in another intelligence-led operation, NDLEA operatives last Wednesday arrested a member of a cocaine trafficking network, Obiora Joseph Agudosi, at Alafia Orile, Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos while attempting to move 9.00kg of cocaine to Onitsha, Anambra State.
He said two members of another cocaine syndicate based in Nnewi and Oba town, Anambra state were also arrested last Thursday in a follow-up operation following the seizure of their consignments in a GUO transport company bus at Benin, Edo state the same day.
“While the bus driver, Harrison Mbachu, 44, was arrested at Benin tollgate with a total of 2.865kg cocaine, Izuchkwu Arinze, 40, was picked at Nnewi town while attempting to collect his consignment of 1.748kg cocaine and 514 grammes sodium bicarbonate, with Ameachi Okoro, 39, arrested while trying to pick his own 1.117kg cocaine at Oba town,” he said.
Babafemi said meanwhile, NDLEA operatives at Tin Can Seaport, Lagos on August 7 intercepted 532 parcels of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 265.25kg in a black Toyota Sienna bus, which is one of the three vehicles in a container marked MSMU 6029570 coming from Montreal, Canada.
He said the seizure was made during a 100 per cent joint examination with men of Customs Service and other stakeholders.
The statement reads: “The following day, Thursday 8th August, the operatives recorded yet another seizure of 75 parcels of the same substance weighing 37.5kg in a container marked FSCU-9274613, that came from Canada.
“In Adamawa State, NDLEA operatives on Thursday 8th August with the support of men of operation Farauta Sector 3, Mayo Belwa arrested 49-year-old Joseph Peter with 425 compressed blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 291.200kg in his Toyota Camry car marked Lagos KSF 381 HM. He claimed he was bringing the consignment from Edo State to deliver in Yola, Adamawa State.
“While two suspects, Adekunle Sunday Adebayo, 50, and Yahaya Mamuda, 35, were arrested at Gadar Tamburawa area of Kano on Tuesday 6th August with 29.5kg cannabis, NDLEA operatives in Lagos recovered 1,169 kilograms of the same psychoactive substance from a bus along Orchid Road, Ajah on Sunday 4th August.
“No less than 1,230.00kg cannabis was destroyed on three hectares of farmland at Ikeje forest, Edimogo village, Igalamela/ Odolu LGA, Kogi State on Friday 9th August by NDLEA officers supported by men of the Nigerian Army while the owner, Danjuma Maji, 40, was arrested.
“With the same drive, Commands and formations of the agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities among others in the past week.
“These include WADA enlightenment lecture for women at Fowewe Sofuwa Islamic Centre, Saki, Oyo state; WADA sensitisation lecture and inauguration of community drug control committee at Nnando community, Anambra state; WADA advocacy visit to the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, Kwara state; and WADA sensitisation lecture to members of Ansaru-ud-deen Muslim Society of Nigeria in Ado Ekiti, among others.
“While commending the officers and men of the Special Operations Unit, Tincan, Lagos, Edo, Kano, Kogi, and Adamawa Commands as well as those of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigations, DOGI, for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) urged them and their compatriots across the country to continue with their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.”
Sir: A few days ago, in the thick of the protests that swept across most states in Nigeria, it was shocking to see a protester bearing a placard with the message, “Cana Price Too High.”
The protest was dubbed #EndBadGovernance and was organised to vent public displeasure against the increased rate of inflation, poverty, hunger and the perennial insecurity plaguing the country. How did “Cana” come into the picture?
“Cana” is a street name for cannabis or marijuana, a widely used illicit drug. A bit of background will help to place the placard’s message in proper perspective.
The abuse of cannabis is one of the factors driving Nigeria’s high drug use prevalence, which was estimated to be 14.4 per cent in 2018 according to an NBC/UNODC survey.
One of the embarrassing findings of the National Drug Use and Health Survey of 2018 was the fact that 10.6 million Nigerians abused cannabis, thereby making us the country with one of the highest abusers of the psychoactive plant. Worse still, cannabis cultivation has gained ground across many states in the country, including Ondo, Ekiti, Osun, Delta, Ogun and Edo.
Over two generations, smoking cannabis became so entrenched in our society that young people considered it fashionable to smoke weed openly and in videos.
That placard was a stark reminder of the need for society to ensure that cannabis use and its cultivation are eradicated in Nigeria.
The other latent message from that placard is that cannabis users are beginning to feel the heat of the efforts to curb the availability of “weed” by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA. No doubt, operatives of the anti-narcotic agency have stepped up their raids on cannabis farms across the states in the past three years.
The relentless efforts of NDLEA have led to seizures and destruction of large quantities of cannabis consignments across the country. The implication is an effective disruption in the supply chain, which makes it difficult for cannabis to get to the users. That has inevitably led to scarcity and a spike in the price of the substance in the illicit drug market.
However, we must not be deceived that the anti-narcotic agency can salvage the situation alone. I recommend we all join hands together to fight this scourge, from the government down to the family. We can only win the war against illicit drugs by working together and in close collaboration with NDLEA.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA (NDLEA) says it has recovered multi-billion-naira worth of cocaine concealed in heavy duty automobile pivot shafts, and Ghanaian fabric, Kente in a courier firm in Lagos.
Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday, August 11, said this was among other such recoveries in a nationwide intelligence-led operation by officers of the Agency.
Babafemi said 2.32 kilograms of cocaine concealed in clothes, which was headed for the United Kingdom, was intercepted at a courier firm in Lagos on Monday 5th August 2024.
He added that 10.494kg of same class A drug buried in heavy duty pivot shafts heading to the United States were recovered at the same logistics company after the NDLEA sniffer dogs fished out the automobile spare parts containing the illicit drug.
The NDLEA spokesman said in the same vein, five other consignments headed fir the US, UK and Canada were also intercepted at the courier firm in Lagos on Friday 9th August 2024.
He said they include 517 grams of cocaine in clothing materials; different quantities of pentazocine injection, promethazine injection and cocodamol pills, all heading to the UK as well as 297 pills of tramadol 225mg going to Canada.
Babafemi said in a different logistics company in Lagos, NDLEA operatives recovered 21 parcels of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 10kg coming from the US and meant for delivery in Abuja.
He said in another intelligence-led operation, NDLEA operatives on Wednesday 7th August arrested a member of a cocaine trafficking network, Obiora Joseph Agudosi, at Alafia Orile, Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos while attempting to move 9.00kg of cocaine to Onitsha, Anambra state.
He said two members of another cocaine syndicate based in Nnewi and Oba town, Anambra state were also arrested on Thursday 8th August in a follow up operation following the seizure of their consignments in a GUO transport company bus at Benin, Edo state same day.
“While the bus driver, Harrison Mbachu, 44, was arrested at Benin tollgate with a total of 2.865kg cocaine, Izuchkwu Arinze, 40, was picked at Nnewi town while attempting to collect his own consignment of 1.748kg cocaine and 514 grams sodium bicarbonate, with Ameachi Okoro, 39, arrested while trying to pick his own 1.117kg cocaine at Oba town,” he said.
Babafemi said meanwhile, NDLEA operatives at Tincan seaport Lagos on Wednesday 7th August intercepted 532 parcels of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 265.25kg in a black Toyota Sienna bus, which is one of the three vehicles in a container marked MSMU 6029570 coming from Montreal, Canada.
He said the seizure was made during 100% joint examination with men of Customs Service and other stakeholders.
The statement reads: “The following day, Thursday 8th August, the operatives recorded yet another seizure of 75 parcels of same substance weighing 37.5kg in a container marked FSCU-9274613, that came from Canada.
“In Adamawa state, NDLEA operatives on Thursday 8th August with the support of men of operation Farauta Sector 3, Mayo Belwa arrested 49-year-old Joseph Peter with 425 compressed blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 291.200kg in his Toyota Camry car marked Lagos KSF 381 HM. He claimed he was bringing the consignment from Edo state to deliver in Yola, Adamawa State.
“While two suspects: Adekunle Sunday Adebayo, 50, and Yahaya Mamuda, 35, were arrested at Gadar Tamburawa area of Kano on Tuesday 6th August with 29.5kg cannabis, NDLEA operatives in Lagos recovered 1,169 kilograms of the same psychoactive substance from a bus along Orchid road, Ajah on Sunday 4th August.
“No less than 1,230.00kg cannabis was destroyed on three hectares of farmland at Ikeje forest, Edimogo village, Igalamela/ Odolu LGA, Kogi state on Friday 9th August by NDLEA officers supported by men of the Nigerian Army while the owner, Danjuma Maji, 40, was arrested.
“With the same drive, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities in schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week.
“These include: WADA enlightenment lecture for women at Fowewe Sofuwa Islamic Centre, Saki, Oyo state; WADA sensitisation lecture and inauguration of community drug control committee at Nnando community, Anambra state; WADA advocacy visit to the Emir of Ilorin, HRH Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, Kwara state; and WADA sensitisation lecture to members of Ansaru-ud-deen Muslim Society of Nigeria in Ado Ekiti, among others.
“While commending the officers and men of the Special Operations Unit, Tincan, Lagos, Edo, Kano, Kogi, and Adamawa Commands as well as those of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigations, DOGI, for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) urged them and their compatriots across the country to continue with their current balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.”
The diving capacity of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency will discourage large shipments of cocaine to the country, its Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig.-Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), has said
Director, Media and Advocacy NDLEA Headquarters Abuja, Femi Babafemi, yesterday made this known in a statement.
According to the statement, the NDLEA chief stated this on the heels of the training and certification of officers of the Marine Command of NDLEA in basic diving, advanced open water diving and full-face mask diving.
Marwa, who stated this while receiving a report of the training from the agency’s Director of Seaports Operations, DCGN Omolade Faboyede, said the new capability would send a strong message to international drug cartels that they have no place to hide their illicit consignments on any ship or vessel coming to Nigeria.
Eight officers were selected from four countries, including two from Nigeria by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), to undergo the certification training in Bombinhas city, Brazil in two phases; first in November last year and then last month.
According to the UNODC, the diving training was initiated to strengthen the fight against drug trafficking and transnational crime activities for the four countries: Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Nigeria and Senegal.
The second phase was to qualify professionals certified in basic and advanced diving in public safety diving to conduct ship hull searches, enforce the law and ensure public safety in combating transnational drug trafficking.
Marwa commended the two NDLEA officers who participated in the training and certification programme for their exemplary performance.
He said their new ability to dive into the sea to search ship hulls will no doubt discourage global drug networks from attempting to send any large consignment to Nigeria.
He said the criminals know full well that the agency has “the capacity to search every nook and cranny of ships and vessels coming to Nigeria”.
He said the agency will continue to be steps ahead of drug cartels in skills and capability with a view to ensuring that they have no means to smuggle illicit drugs into Nigeria.
“We will also continue to expose our officers, men and women to training and the use of modern technological tools in our determined bid to keep our country safe by curbing the menace of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking,” the NDLEA boss added.
Ban items hidden in body parts of four vehicles from Canada
10 suspects arrested in Lagos, Ondo, Edo, Kogi raids
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted consignments of illicit drugs hidden in tins of baby food containers and clothes headed for the United States and United Kingdom at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) and a courier firm in Lagos.
Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, broke the news yesterday
He said no less than 36 parcels of a strong strain of cannabis concealed in six cartons of tins of branded Nestle Cerelac baby food, with six containers in each package were recovered at the SAHCOL export shed of Lagos airport on July 31.
In a statement, he said the substance has a total weight of 18.50 kilogrammes and that a freight agent, Salaudeen Suliat Abiola, who presented the consignment for export to the U.K., was arrested.
He said a follow up to Ibadan, the Oyo State capital on Saturday led to the arrest of the sender of the cargo, Bello Motunrayo Folu, at her No. 20 Mofoluwasho Estate, Elewuro, Akobo area.
He said the Cerelac tins were factory-sealed at the top but were tampered with at the bottom.
It was through the bottom that the substances covered with loose quantities of the infant cereal meal were concealed, he added.
Babafemi also said five shipments of opioids and other psychoactive substances, such as promethazine, pentazocine, diazepam, tramadol, and morphine concealed in clothes and other items meant for export to the U.S. and U.K. were interrupted by NDLEA operatives in Lagos.
He said while one of the shipments containing 820grammes of promethazine and pentazocine injections was going to the U.S., the other four, consisting of over two kilogrammes of opioids such as tramadol 225mg, molly and NPS, were heading to the U.K.
They were intercepted on July 29 at a logistics company in Lagos, he said.
The statement reads: “Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives at the Tin Can Port in Lagos on Friday, August 2 recovered 77 packages of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis from the body compartments of four vehicles: Toyota Highlander, Ford Explorer, Toyota Corolla and Toyota Sienna imported from Canada during a joint examination of some containers with men of the Customs Service and other stakeholders.
“The seized consignments have a total weight of 38.5 kilogrammes while two suspects: Salami Abiodun Sunday, 34 and Lekan Atoyebi, 33, assigned to clear the shipments have been taken into custody.
“While Isiagu Sunday was arrested in Mushin Ojuoye, Lagos on Thursday, August 1,with 1,740 bottles of codeine syrup weighing 174 litres and 1,070 tablets of Molly weighing 600grammes, no less than 50 bags of cannabis with a gross weight of 520kg were recovered in the bush at Isuada, Owo council area of Ondo state just as five suspects were arrested at Itaogbolu forest, Akure North LG area of the state.
“The suspects nabbed in connection with the seizure of 42kg of the same psychoactive substance include Jimoh Omotosho, 63; Donald Obi, 62; Emmanuel Patrick, 21; Kayode Oluwaseun, 39; and John Nsikan, 34.
“In Edo State, 22 and a half bags of cannabis weighing 220kg were recovered from Egbeta community, Ovia Northeast area of Edo State on Tuesday, July 30 while a suspect, Osayede Aghoma, was arrested.
“Another suspect, Ibrahim Abubakar, 55, was on Wednesday, July 31 nabbed with 40 blocks of the same substance weighing 19.200kg along Okene-Lokoja highway in a commercial bus coming from Lagos enroute Kano.
“With the same drive, Commands and formations of the agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA), sensitisation in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities, among others in the past week.
“These include WADA enlightenment lecture for students and staff of Khuddam College of Health Technology, Kofar Kaura, Katsina state; staff of Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, Delta state; youths of St. Gabriel Catholic Church, Okpuno Awka, Anambra state and WADA advocacy visit to the Lisa of Ifon and community leaders, Ondo State.”
…seizes loud shipments hidden in body compartments of four vehicles from Canada
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has intercepted multiple consignments of illicit drugs concealed in tins of baby food containers and clothes headed for the United States and United Kingdom at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) and a courier firm in Lagos.
Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday, August 4, said no less than 36 parcels of a strong strain of cannabis concealed in six cartons of tins of branded Nestle Cerelac baby food, with six containers in each package, were recovered at the SAHCOL export shed of Lagos airport on Wednesday 31st July 2024.
According to the statement, the psychotropic substance has a total weight of 18.50 kilograms.
Babafemi said a freight agent, Salaudeen Suliat Abiola who presented the consignment for export to the UK was promptly arrested.
He said a follow-up operation to Ibadan, Oyo state on Saturday 3rd August led to the arrest of the sender of the cargo, Bello Motunrayo Folu, at her No. 20 Mofoluwasho Estate, Elewuro, Akobo area of the Oyo state capital.
He said the Cerelac tins were all factory-sealed at the top but were tampered with at the bottom.
It was through the bottom that the substances covered with loose quantities of the infant cereal meal were concealed, he said.
Babafemi said in the same vein, five different shipments of opioids and other psychoactive substances, such as promethazine, pentazocine, diazepam, tramadol, and morphine concealed in cloths and other items meant for export to the US and UK were equally interrupted by NDLEA operatives in Lagos.
He said while one of the shipments containing 820grams of promethazine and pentazocine injections was going to the United States, the remaining four parcels consisting of over two kilograms of opioids such as tramadol 225mg, molly and NPS were heading to the United Kingdom.
They were all intercepted on Monday 29th July at a logistics company in Lagos, he said.
The statement reads, “Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives at the Tincan port in Lagos on Friday 2nd August recovered 77 packages of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis from the body compartments of four vehicles: Toyota Highlander, Ford Explorer, Toyota Corolla and Toyota Sienna imported from Canada during a joint examination of some containers with men of the Customs Service and other stakeholders.
“The seized consignments have a total weight of 38.5 kilograms while two suspects: Salami Abiodun Sunday, 34 and Lekan Atoyebi, 33, assigned to clear the shipments have been taken into custody.
“While Isiagu Sunday was arrested in Mushin Ojuoye, Lagos on Thursday 1st August with 1,740 bottles of codeine syrup weighing 174 litres and 1,070 tablets of Molly weighing 600grams, no less than 50 bags of cannabis with a gross weight of 520kg were recovered in the bush at Isuada, Owo council area of Ondo state just as five suspects were arrested at Itaogbolu forest, Akure North LG area of the state.
“The suspects nabbed in connection with the seizure of 42kg of the same psychoactive substance include Jimoh Omotosho, 63; Donald Obi, 62; Emmanuel Patrick, 21; Kayode Oluwaseun, 39; and John Nsikan, 34.
“In Edo state, twenty-two and a half bags of cannabis weighing 220kg were recovered from Egbeta community, Ovia North East area of Edo state on Tuesday 30th July while a suspect, Osayede Aghoma was arrested.
“Another suspect, Ibrahim Abubakar, 55, was on Wednesday 31st July nabbed with 40 blocks of the same substance weighing 19.200kg along Okene-Lokoja highway in a commercial bus coming from Lagos en-route Kano.
“With the same drive, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities in schools, worship centres, workplaces, and communities among others in the past week.
“These include WADA enlightenment lecture for students and staff of Khuddam College of Health Technology, Kofar Kaura, Katsina state; staff of Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, Delta state; youths of St. Gabriel Catholic Church, Okpuno Awka, Anambra state and WADA advocacy visit to the Lisa of Ifon and community leaders, Ondo state, among others.
“While commending the officers and men of MMIA, Kogi, Edo, Ondo, Lagos, and Tincan, Commands as well as those of DOGI for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) noted their drug supply reduction efforts balanced with WADA sensitization activities while he charged them and their compatriots across the country to maintain the zeal and tempo.”
Sir: One of the major issues soiling the image of Nigeria abroad is its citizens’ involvement in the trafficking of illicit drugs. This has damaged the image of this country to the point that Nigerians travelling to other countries are not only subjected to discriminating and embarrassing search experiences at international airports but stereotyped as ‘a country of drug traffickers.’
On account of a few black sheep that besmirched the name of the country with trafficking activities, Nigerians have been declared unwanted in some countries. In some extreme instances, innocent citizens have been endangered by the criminal activities of their unpatriotic compatriots.
For example, a few years ago, a group in South Africa that called itself People Against Gangsterism and Drugs, PAGAD, went on a rampage on the street, killing anyone found to be a Nigerian, whom they accused of masterminding drug rings and other organized crimes in their country.
In recent years, the government of Seychelles has also issued a persona non grata edict against Nigerian tourists whom they allege bring drugs into the country.
Some social commentators have correctly pointed out that harsh treatment against Nigerians abroad is fuelled largely by the trafficking activities of some unpatriotic citizens of this country.
Back in the 1960s, Nigerians were once known for their virtues: industrious, God-fearing and law-abiding. But a tiny minority of unscrupulous Nigerians has destroyed our good image.
Just recently, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in a decisive operation, intercepted a drug smuggling attempt by one Orobi Adoubi Amen on Thursday, July 18, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
Amen, a passenger from Benin Republic heading to Dubai via Accra, Ghana, on an Air Peace flight, attempted to smuggle narcotics into Dubai.
Just imagine that this was coming shortly after the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government lifted a 21-month travel visa restriction imposed on Nigerian citizens on July 15.
The prompt actions of NDLEA saved the country from what could have been another international scandal were he to be caught in Dubai with drugs.
NDLEA has caught scores of drug traffickers heading to the Middle East and India in the past few months.
By and large, we are coming to terms with the critical role of NDLEA in safeguarding Nigeria’s borders and its global reputation.
Every effort must be made by government to ensure that this agency is fully optimised with the necessary human, material and monetary resources to continue its good run against unpatriotic citizens bent on bringing shame to our country.
…destroys 31,600kg cannabis, arrests 17 in Osun forest raid
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has arrested a Spain-bound businessman, Francis Akajiobi, for trying to with a cocaine consignment hidden in his sandals.
The director of media and advocacy, NDLEA headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, said the 50-year-old Akajiobi, who is based in Spain was arrested at the departure hall of terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lago.
Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday, July 28, said parcels of cocaine weighing 1.20 kilograms were discovered in the suspect’s pair of sandals while attempting to board his Royal Air Maroc flight to Madrid, Spain.
According to the statement, the two parcels of cocaine were concealed in the soles of a pair of black sandals Akajiobi was wearing to board his flight when NDLEA operatives intercepted him on Thursday 25th July 2024.
Babafemi said during a preliminary interview, the suspect claimed the consignment was delivered to him at a bar in Port Harcourt, Rivers state and was to deliver it to his friend and neighbour in Spain for a fee of Five Thousand Euros (€5,000) upon successful delivery to the recipient.
The spokesman added that in the same vein, a suspect: Makinde Sodiq Lekan has been arrested in connection with the seizure of 99 parcels of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 51.60kg that arrived at the SAHCO Imports shed off the Lagos airport on a Turkish Airlines flight from Canada via Istanbul, Turkey.
He also said operatives of a Special Operations Unit targeting syndicates that specialize in shipping large consignments of opioids into neighbouring countries have arrested one of the kingpins, Chukwuemaka Obodozie.
Babafemi said that the syndicates attempt smuggling them into Nigeria from these neighbouring countries in smaller quantities through transport companies.”
“He was arrested in the early hours of Sunday 21st July at Cele bus stop along Oshodi-Apapa express road, Lagos with 100,000 tablets of tramadol 225mg loaded in two bags shortly after his arrival from Ghana via one of the transport companies plying the Lagos-Ghana route. The intelligence-led operation followed five months of surveillance around Chukwuemeka,’ the statement reads.
Babafemi also said no fewer than 17 suspects were arrested on Friday 26th July when NDLEA operatives raided the Owena forest in Oriade LGA, Osun State.
He said the operatives destroyed 31,250 kilograms of cannabis on 12.5 hectares of farmland, while 84kg of processed cannabis sativa was recovered along with a single-barrel Dane gun.
“Those arrested include: Peter Osuya, 51; Zebron Ode, 46; Dogo Reuben Matthew, 35; Isaac Terna; Joseph David Lawrence, 27; Ugochukwu Victory, 24; Olamilekan Abolarin, 26; Dele Ayibo, 44; Ojo Moses, 21; Nini Ayila, 27; Msughve Clement, 23; Chuks Ogeneku, 40; Dada Aribo, 20; Uche Endurance, 30; Patrick Agba, 21; Osakwe Kennedy, 45; and Ojo Babatunde, 29,” he said.
He also said in Kaduna state, NDLEA operatives on stop and search patrol along the Kaduna-Zaria highway on Saturday 27th July intercepted a 32-year-old lady, Ubaida Aliyu in possession of 573 rounds of 7.60 live ammunition, which she claimed she was attempting to deliver to bandits in Sokoto.
The statement reads: “While a suspect, Godwin Udochukwu, 35, was arrested in connection with the seizure of 25,000 ampoules of Pentazocine injection by NDLEA operatives on patrol along Kaduna-Zaria highway, another suspect, Alkasim Mikailu, 35, was nabbed in Kano on a follow-up operation following the seizure of 37,880 ampoules of Diazepam injection along Abuja-Kaduna highway.
“Two suspects: Abioye Adeniyi, 39, and Rafiu Lekan, 41, were arrested with 55 jumbo wraps of Ghana Loud by NDLEA operatives at Oloko along Badagry-Seme road, Lagos on Friday 26th July, while Samson Ifeayi Egwutouhi, 30, was nabbed same day by officers on patrol along Okene-Lokoja-Abuja expressway with 20 blocks of compressed cannabis sativa that weighed 10.500kg. In Bauchi State, two suspects: Suleiman Yahaya, 50, and Ibrahim Bello (a.k.a Special), 35, were on Thursday 25th July with 315 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 204.750kg along Maiduguri bye-pass, Bauchi town.
“With the same drive, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities in schools, worship centres, workplaces, and communities among others in the past week. These include WADA enlightenment lecture for students of Government Secondary School, Gada, Sokoto state; pupils of Holy Trinity Primary School, Aroje, Ogbomoso, Oyo state; students of Holy Innocent Juniorate, Nkpor Onitsha, Anambra state; students of Government Christian Secondary School, Shuwa Madagali, Adamawa state and commercial motorcycle riders at Oke Afo, Badagry Lagos state, among others.
“While commending the officers and men of the Special Operations Unit, MMIA, Osun, Bauchi, Kogi, Seme, and Kaduna Commands for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) praised their pulverizing onslaught against drug cartels across the country. He also expressed delight in the balance of their drug supply reduction efforts with drug demand reduction activities while urging them not to rest on their oars,” the statement reads.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested the head of the Mushin, Lagos drug cartel, Alhaji Sulaiman Jimoh (alias Olowoidiogede, popularly known as Temo), 57.
Director, Media and Publicity NDLEA National Headquarters, Femi Babafemi, said Temo was arrested by operatives at his enclave after “an initial resistance from him and his horde of hoodlums”.
Babafemi said this arrest comes after years of wearing the toga of invincibility.
The Spokesman said in the last two years, the agency had intercepted large consignments of illicit drugs worth billions of naira owned by Temo but he had remained largely evasive.
Babafemi added that a few encounters with the drug lord and his armed gangs in his Mushin enclave had resulted in gunfights.
The statement reads: “Some of the recent seizures of his shipments include a 14, 524.8 kilogrammes of Ghana Loud, a strong strain of cannabis sativa, smuggled into Lagos from Ghana in two trucks and a J5 bus intercepted at Ojuelegba area of Lagos in the early hours of Sunday 28th January 2024; two truck-loads of the same substance weighing 8,852kg intercepted at Eleko beach, Lekki Lagos on 4th May 2023 and 252kg of Loud seized from his enclave in Mushin on Wednesday 26th July 2023.
“Indeed, in the last two encounters, his men engaged NDLEA operatives in a gunfight.
The drug kingpin was very notorious for always being on the move to evade arrest but with persistence and determination of the Agency aided by modern tools and intelligence, the concerted effort to get him paid off at 10am on Monday 22nd July 2024 when NDLEA’s surveillance teams on his trail tracked and pinned him down at Igbarere Street, Mushin.
“A reinforcement of about 100 operatives was mobilised to the area while he was attempting to escape in a Mercedes Benz SUV GLE 350 marked 01G-300G. His attempt to escape by mobilising hoodlums to engage and distract the operatives, however, failed after which he was overpowered and whisked away from the chaotic scene while his men surrendered to the superior firepower of the anti-narcotic agents who also succeeded in recovering the Mercedes Benz SUV the suspect was found in.’’
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) commended the officers and men of the Lagos State Command, Special Monitoring Task Force and other formations tasked with the assignment of getting Temo arrested for their resilience, vigilance, and professionalism.
“He urged them to intensify the heat on all drug cartels wherever they are located.
“Marwa expressed delight because the arrest was eventually effected in his enclave without any casualty despite the attack on our men.
“This is, therefore, a clear message to others still involved in this criminal trade of illicit drugs that if they don’t opt out now, we’ll get them because we’re just steps away from their doorsteps and more importantly they can only run, they can’t hide forever,” Marwa stated.
