The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) have agreed to partner on the conduct of drug tests for footballers in the country as part of efforts to curb the menace of substance abuse in Nigeria.
This was according to a statement by the Director, of Media and Advocacy NDLEA National Headquarters Abuja, Femi Babafemi, on Friday.
According to the statement, this was one of the high points of discussions between the leadership of the Agency and the football league when the Chairman of the NPFL board, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye led a delegation including ex-international, Daniel Amokachi on a courtesy visit to the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) in Abuja on Friday.
The delegation also included the Chairman of Sokoto State Football Association, Mohammed Saidu Nasiru; the Chief Operating Officer of the NPFL, Davidson Owumi and the Head of Legal, NPFL, Uche George Egbe.
Elegbeleye acknowledged the inspiring and impactful leadership Marwa has given NDLEA to become a frontline law enforcement agency now respected at home and abroad.
He said the activities of the agency have not only raised national awareness about the drug scourge but have equally curbed the impunity of drug cartels and barons.
He said part of the problems facing the sports industry in the country especially football is betting and the use of performance-enhancing drugs by footballers.
He said he has to reach out to the agency for partnership to salvage the situation.
“The only agency that can save this situation is NDLEA by working with us to carry out random drug tests on our players. Once they know we conduct drug tests, they will refrain from abusing illicit substances. This is why we seek the support and partnership with NDLEA”, Elegbeleye stated.
In his response, Marwa commended the NPFL boss for his giant strides and innovations to build the football league.
He assured that the agency won’t relent in its offensive action against drug cartels in the country. He expressed the willingness of NDLEA to partner with NPFL to curb the abuse of illicit substances by footballers.
Marwa stated: “We are happy with your request for random drug tests for players. This is available in all our commands nationwide and we are ready to work with you in this respect. We are very ready to collaborate and support you in your quest.”
He said the league should also consider mobilizing star footballers to get involved in open advocacy against drug abuse because a lot of youths look up to them as role models.
The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), has said the ongoing amendment of the NDLEA Act, when passed into law, will significantly enhance the agency’s organisational capability to curb the menace of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in the country.
Marwa said this at the opening ceremony of the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Drug Control meeting yesterday in Abuja.
He said: “We have to acknowledge, however, the existence of the funding challenge, which is limiting our capabilities in various ways.
“Nonetheless, we are looking forward to some positive developments that will lend impetus to the attainment of our set objectives. One such is the amendment of the NDLEA Act, which will significantly enhance the organisational capability of our agency in drug supply reduction.
“The hearing of the amended Bill is making progress in the National Assembly, and we look forward to it scaling the final hurdles.”
Marwa acknowledged the tremendous work of the IMC in the implementation of the National Drug Control Master Plan (NDCMP) 2021-2025.
The NDLEA boss said the collaboration from stakeholders towards achieving the stated goals of the NDCMP also deserved appreciation.
He outlined some of the activities and achievements of NDLEA in 2023 in line with the agency’s National Action Plan on Drug Control.
Marwa said: “After taking stock of key programmes implemented across the strategic pillars in 2022 and 2023, I can say that we have recorded significant progress on the fourth National Plan (NDCMP 2021-2025) compared to previous ones.”
“Under the Supply Reduction Pillar, our operations and offensive action led to the arrest of 13,664 drug traffickers, of whom 3,412 have been convicted in 2023. We recorded the seizure of 1.61 million kilogrammes of assorted illicit drugs, and we carried out the destruction of 206.5 hectares of cannabis farms.
“In Drug Demand Reduction, we recorded the counselling and rehabilitation of 10,904 individuals. The implementation of WADA advocacy across states, local government areas, wards, and communities boosted the attainment of some set targets under the Drug Demand Reduction Pillar.
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) has said that the ongoing amendment of the NDLEA Act, when passed into law, will significantly enhance its organizational capability to curb the menace of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in the country.
Marwa said this at the opening ceremony of the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Drug Control meeting on Thursday, March 7, in Abuja.
He said: “We have to acknowledge, however, the existence of the funding challenge, which is limiting our capabilities in various ways.
“Nonetheless, we are looking forward to some positive developments that will lend impetus to the attainment of our set objectives. One such is the amendment of the NDLEA Act, which will significantly enhance the organisational capability of our agency in drug supply reduction.
“The hearing of the amended bill is making progress in the National Assembly and we look forward to it scaling the final hurdles.”
He acknowledged the tremendous work of the IMC in the implementation of the National Drug Control Master Plan (NDCMP) 2021-2025.
Marwa said the collaboration from stakeholders towards achieving the stated goals of the NDCMP is also deserving of appreciation.
He outlined some of the activities and achievements of NDLEA in 2023 in line with the national action plan on drug control.
He said: “After taking stock of key programmes implemented across the strategic pillars in 2022 and 2023, I can say that we have recorded significant progress on the 4th National Plan (NDCMP 2021-2025) compared to previous ones.
“Under the Supply Reduction Pillar, our operations and offensive action led to the arrest of 13, 664 drug traffickers, of whom 3, 412 have been convicted in 2023. We recorded the seizure of 1.61 million kilograms of assorted illicit drugs, and we carried out the destruction of 206.5 hectares of cannabis farms.
“In Drug Demand Reduction, we recorded the counselling and rehabilitation of 10,904 individuals. The implementation of WADA advocacy across states, local government areas, wards, and communities boosted the attainment of some set targets under the Drug Demand Reduction Pillar.
“Ramping up our WADA sensitisation activities has enabled us to reach different target groups, and, by the same token, has facilitated the diffusion of shared ownership of the effort to curb the proliferation, trafficking and abuse of illicit substances in the country.
“Generally, there had been momentous developments in 2022-2023 that were helpful to the attainment of our targets. Among others, these include, one, Nigeria’s hosting of the 30th Conference of the Heads of Drug Law Enforcement Agencies, Africa, HONLEA, in September 2023; two, the commissioning of the NDLEA toll-free helpline, which has helped to bridge the gap between people who need treatment and the care provider, and three, the Drug Prevention, Treatment and Care (DPTC) training for the Governors’ Spouses, which has helped to strengthen response to drug problems across the states through the first ladies who are at the helm of the leadership of the State Drug Control Committee, SDCC. And, of course, the non-stop WADA campaign across the federation continually gives us leverage in society.”
Country Representative, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Oliver Stolpe said the achievement over the past years in enhancing law enforcement, increasing accessibility to treatment and rolling out prevention, and recently including harm reduction and Alternative Development, are all milestones that the NDLEA has created.
“The UNODC is grateful, and hopes that during the presentation by Nigeria at IMC International midterm review, Nigeria makes a great contribution to the world and inspires others in ways to take this fight against drug use and supply to the next level,” he said.
Also speaking, representative of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, Dr. Daniel Akwasi Amankwaah said they were excited about the NDLEA drug control master plan because ECOWAS took inspiration from the NDLEA master plan to encourage other countries to develop their own master plan.
“I am glad to announce that of the 15 ECOWAS countries, 14 have developed their master plans. This is to say 99% of the countries have developed theirs and it is all thanks to the template of the NDLEA”
In his welcome remark, Special Adviser to the Chairman/CEO on NDCMP, Otunba Lanre Ipinmisho said the meeting was called to assess the efforts made by the IMC members so far, identify challenges and proffer solutions.
A communique issued by the IMC at the end of the meeting listed some of the solutions, which they want governments at all levels and other stakeholders to focus on.
It includes the following: “a declaration of a State of Emergency in the face the overwhelming statistics of drug trafficking and abuse and its devastating consequences on the public health, economy and security of the country, to underscore the need for greater resources to be committed to fighting drugs problem and its attendant consequences such as banditry, kidnaping, assassination, insurgency, terrorism and general insecurity.
“To strengthen drug treatment support services for persons with drug use disorder, ensuring the availability, accessibility and affordability of controlled medicines for palliative care and raising awareness on the health, socio-economic implications and other related risks of drug abuse and drug trafficking.
“To strengthen cohesion, greater collaboration and coordination, amongst stakeholders to prioritise resources for activities geared towards addressing drugs problem in line with the Strategic Pillars of the NDCMP.”
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted a 40-year-old businessman, Ejike Chibuke Solomon with 1.45 kilograms of cocaine concealed in his luggage while attempting to board an Ethiopia Airlines flight number 950 to Vietnam via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja.
This was according to a statement by the Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters Abuja, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, March 3.
Babafemi said Ejike was arrested at the Abuja airport on Saturday, March 2, after NDLEA officers subjected him to a thorough search, and in the process, the illicit substance was discovered where it was concealed, factory fitted, in his bag.
According to the Agency, Ejike, in his statement, claimed he was on a business trip to Vietnam.
Babafemi also said operatives of a special unit of the Agency on Friday, March 1, swooped on members of a syndicate that deals in methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin in their hideouts in parts of Lagos.
He said the operatives assigned for the operation raided the home of Esimone Amachukwu Christopher at 14 Arochukwu street, Ejigbo, where 10.012 kilograms of methamphetamine was found in possession of his associate, 40-year-old Evelyn Nneka Okem. Esimone is currently at large.
The spokesman said while the Ejigbo operation was going on, another set of officers were simultaneously busy in the residence of another member of the syndicate, 45-year-old Ebele Edwin Iwuegbunam, located at Plot 1604 Close D, 4th Avenue, Festac town, Lagos where they arrested him and recovered 429.5grams of cocaine and 7 kilograms of heroin.
The statement reads: “In Kogi state, NDLEA officers on a stop and search operation along Okene-Lokoja-Abuja expressway on Friday 1st March intercepted a commercial bus marked GRM 347XA (Borno) conveying 28 compressed blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 11kg; 100 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup and 500 tablets of diazepam, all concealed in three plastic drums covered with cattle fats, heading to Jos Plateau state.
“While operatives in Ogun state on Thursday 29th February recovered 169kg consignment of cannabis abandoned in a truck at Sagamu tollgate, their counterparts in Lagos seized 25 cartons of tramadol containing 325,000 pills in Ikeja the previous day Wednesday 28th Feb. Same day, a suspect, Abdullahi Garba Khalil, 42, and 2,745,000 capsules of pregabalin recovered from him at Singer market, Sabon Gari area of Kano were handed over to the Kano state command of NDLEA by the Department of State Security, DSS.
“In the same vein, the 243 Recce Battalion, Nigerian Army, Badagry on Saturday 2nd March transferred 27 sacks of cannabis sativa weighing 1,110kg recovered at a coastal community, Ajido by soldiers, to the Seme Special Area Command of NDLEA. A suspect, Hassan Muhammad, 34, was on Saturday 2nd March arrested with 44,950 pills of tramadol at Moranti area of Borno state by NDLEA operatives.
“In Abia state, NDLEA operatives on Thursday 28th Feb raided a drug joint at Cemetery Barracks, Aba, where Ifeanyi Uche, 37, was arrested with different quantities of cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine. Another raid was carried out at the abandoned Eyimba Hotel, Ogbor Hill, Aba, where illicit substances were seized and suspects arrested on Friday 1st March.
“With the same zeal, the various commands of the Agency across the country continued with the War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, advocacy campaign in the past week. Some of them include: WADA sensitisation lecture for students and teachers of Fobin Primary and Secondary School, Idiroko, Seme, Lagos; Army Barracks Grammar School, Mokola, Ibadan, Oyo state; State Model Secondary School, Awka, Anambra state; Government Girls Secondary School, Okumgba-Ama, Ogoloma, Okrika, Rivers state and leaders and residents of Lapan community, Gombe state, among others.
“While commending the officers and men of the NAIA, Abia, Ogun, Kogi, Lagos, Seme, Borno and Kano Commands of the Agency as well as those of the Special Unit for their outstanding feats in the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) equally applauded them and their counterparts in all the commands across the country for intensifying their WADA advocacy lectures.”
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) has commended the British government for offering to undertake the provision of the headquarters and personnel accommodation for the Marine Unit of the anti-narcotics body at the Eko Atlantic city beach.
Marwa, who gave the commendation while performing the groundbreaking ceremony to signify the commencement of the project facilitated by the UK Home Office International Operations (HOIO), assured that the agency will continue to live up to the expectations of Nigerians and its international partners.
This was contained in a statement by the Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, on Wednesday, February 28.
He said the confidence reposed in the agency by President Bola Tinubu and the UK government as well as their all-round support will always be a morale booster for the officers and men who take huge risks to dismantle drug cartels daily.
Marwa said the sole aim was to curb the menace of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in Nigeria, while significantly contributing to the global effort to address the drug problem.
He noted that the office and accommodation facilities being provided by the UK government for personnel of the marine unit of the agency will in no small measure enhance their safety, efficiency and confidence.
“You have provided us a place here, you’ve given us the training, you’ve supported us with the boats and the repairs and now the accommodation. We can only say thank you. We wish to give the assurances on what you already know that the NDLEA is a serious Agency, we do what we have to do without fear or favour, we will get the job done, that I can give you the assurance as we continue to partner. Thank you very much”, the NDLEA boss stated while addressing the British government officials and their contractors at the site of the project.
He also commended personnel of the Navy, Customs, Immigration and other services in the area for their collaboration with NDLEA.
“We all must stand up together, though the NDLEA is the lead agency in this enterprise, the work is collaborative. We must partner to get the job done. I’ve been briefed that there’s lot of collaboration going on the same way I was at MMIA this morning and spoke to your senior colleagues there and they are all working together as you are here. I urge you to keep it up in this spirit and I wish you more success,” he said.
Addressing officers of the Unit, Marwa said the leadership of the agency is restructuring the Marine Unit so that it “can become a lean and mean force under an able commander.”
He urged them to “brace up, stand up on your two feet and work very hard to make sure that drugs do not pass by water.”
A representative of the UK Home Office International Operations, Kris Hawksfield, assured that the project will be completed by July 2024.
Speaking earlier at a War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy meeting with the leadership of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), Marwa said there is a need for the organization to partner with the Agency in the fight against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking.
He urged the PMAN President, Prettywise Okafor and other executives to mobilise their members to use their God-given talents for the good of society rather than using their music to promote drug abuse, especially among the youths.
Okafor in his response expressed the preparedness of PMAN to partner with the Agency.
He also gave details of their effort to organise an advocacy campaign against drug abuse across the country and their plan to build rehabilitation centres as part of their ongoing projects in Abuja and Lagos.
107 bank accounts, N119million blocked, hotel, mansions sealed
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) yesterday said its operatives intercepted a record breaking heroine consignment imported into the country by a syndicate operating across three continents.
It said the operatives also arrested 10 suspects in the operation that lasted nine days, saw the blocking of 109 bank accounts and N119 million; sealing of hotels and mansions in the Ago Palace Way area of Lagos.
Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd) gave details of the operation at a news conference held in Lagos, yesterday.
According to Marwa, the illicit Class A drugs totalling 51.90kg were carefully packaged, well labeled and concealed inside cutting machines billed for delivery at the cartel’s warehouse in the Ipaja area of the state.
With a street value of £100,000 per kilo, The Nation reports that the seized 51.90kg drugs with estimated worth of £5,190,000 (N10,365,987,000 at N1,997.3/£ exchange rate).
Addressing newsmen at the NDLEA NAHCO office, Marwa said the seizure was similar to the September 2022 Ikorodu seizure which was also the highest single interception of cocaine by the agency.
Marwa said while 49.7kgs of the substance was intercepted by the operatives at rhe airport, an additional 2.2kgs were recovered from a suspected mule, ThankGod Igboanugo, at the hotel of the alleged cartel leader, Reginald Peter Chidiebere at Ago Palace Way, Okota.
He chronicled the steps the operatives took and how the agency’s sniffer dogs were handy in discovering the crime.
According to Marwa, the agency had already contacted its counterpart in South Africa in order to get leaders of the cartel who are resident in that country and Mozambique.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has intercepted the single largest consignment of heroin at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja Lagos.
The Agency said it successfully dismantled and arrested members of an organized criminal organization which specializes in trafficking heroin across Nigeria, South Africa, Mozambique, Europe and America in a 12-day well-coordinated operation leading to the seizure.
Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, NDLEA Headquarters Abuja, in a statement on Tuesday, February 27, said this was disclosed at a press conference by the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) in Lagos.
According to the statement, while explaining that the briefing is in line with the Agency’s policy of transparency in its renewed fight against drug traffickers, Marwa gave a chronological brief of how the operation leading to what is now the single largest seizure of heroin at the Lagos airport was successfully carried out.
According to Marwa, “It started on February 10, 2024, when NDLEA operatives of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport Command intercepted a suspicious package at the SAHCO Import Shed of the airport’s Cargo Terminal. The consignment was concealed in 15 cartons of 2300-watt metal cutting machines. Each carton was stocked with three blocks of high-grade heroin. In total, we recovered 45 blocks of the illicit substance with a total weight of 49.70kg.
“After the discovery, we were methodical and meticulous in our investigations. We started with the arrest of the freight agent whose name is Olowolagba Wasiu Babatunde. It turned out that he was hired for clearing services by Mattpee Logistics, a company operated by one Mr. Kola resident in South Africa.
“Next, we conducted a follow up operation at the company’s warehouse in the Shogunle area of Oshodi, Lagos, and arrested the warehouse manager, whose name is Ajayi Imole Moses. Thereafter, we set up an ambush for the expected receiver of the consignment who was duly arrested when he showed up for collection. This receiver, whose name is Adinnu Felix Chinedu, confessed during interrogation, that he is the main distributor for a drug syndicate whose membership is spread across Nigeria.
“He admitted that he usually conveyed the consignment to a dedicated warehouse located in Ayobo. That place served as a workshop where he would dismantle the consignment and remove the drugs from the machines. Thereafter, he would wait for a list of various recipients to be forwarded to him from South Africa by the head of the criminal group.
“Our operatives did due diligence by conducting a thorough search of the warehouse which led to the recovery of 56 similar cartons of the cutting machines that were used previously as modes of concealment to ferry heroin into Nigeria. At this point, it was clear that we are dealing with a syndicate that operates in other countries. By the time, we were done exploring various leads we had, we unravelled an organised criminal network that operates in South Africa, Mozambique, Nigeria and parts of Europe and America.
“This syndicate has a wide network in Nigeria because the consignments we seized were marked with several codenames, showing that they belonged to different members of this organised criminal group. Furthermore, in our follow-up operation, we uncovered from the suspect a long list of receivers of illicit drugs. In the end, we were able to identify the kingpin of the syndicate here in Nigeria and his name is Reginald Peter Chidiebere. Our investigations showed that he owns the Golden Platinum Hotel and Suite, located at 16 Reginald Peter Chidiebere Street, Hope Estate, Ago Palace.”
The NDLEA boss said several days of surveillance on the hotel culminated in a raid operation on Monday, February 19 in which another drug mule, Igboanugo Chukwuebuka Thankgod, was found in possession of two parcels of 2.2kg heroin with codes similar to the ones found on the seized drug shipment, bringing the total seizure to 51.90 kilograms.
“He readily confessed that he was invited by Mr. Reginald Peter Chidiebere to the hotel on Sunday, February 18, 2024. He was lodged in one of the rooms and was later summoned by the receptionist to meet a guest, from whom Reginald Peter Chidiebere had informed him over the phone to receive a package. This sequence of action was confirmed by a review of the CCTV at the hotel”, Marwa stated.
He further explained that pre-emptive actions so far taken against members of the syndicate include freezing a total of 107 bank accounts associated with 14 members of the cartel as well as N119,582,928.31 found in some of the already traced bank accounts.
He added that the hotel and a mansion linked to the head of the syndicate in Nigeria, Reginald Peter Chidiebere and another mansion linked to the head of the syndicate in Mozambique, Festus Ibewuike located in Ago Palace area had already been marked for forfeiture to the Federal Government.
He said the measure yielded further fruit on Thursday 22nd February when a female member of the syndicate and wife of Festus Ibewuike, Mrs. Confidence Ndidiamaka, Ibewuike who is one of those to collect part of the consignment from Adinnu Felix Chinedu, was arrested at Ago Palace area on last Thursday.
“When they were brought face to face, he (Adinnu Felix Chinedu) immediately identified her as one of the members of the criminal syndicate who had received similar packages of heroin with the syndicate’s logo from him on two different occasions. Though she denied knowing Adinnu or receiving anything from him before, investigation later revealed how her husband identified as Festus Ibewuike who is a top kingpin and currently residing in Mozambique used to send drug consignments to her through Adinnu Felix Chinedu.
“With pictorial evidence of different parcels with different codes and using other methodologies, we were able to confirm several instructions from her husband to her regarding illicit drug shipments already collected before. A search was promptly conducted in their residence located at the Ago Palace area, Festac Town where a Toyota Venza car was recovered as well as several documents including, bank and property documents belonging to Festus Ibewuike.Their mansion in Ago Palace area has also been marked for forfeiture to the Federal Government.”
As part of efforts to ensure all those involved are brought to book, Marwa assured that “NDLEA has shared comprehensive intelligence with our South African counterparts for necessary action regarding the other members of the group living in that country.”
He said: “there is a parallel between this seizure and the September 18, 2022 seizure of 2,139.5kg cocaine in an Ikorodu warehouse. That was the biggest singular cocaine seizure in the history of NDLEA. This present bust is the largest single heroin seizure at the MMIA so far.”
While commending the synergy and support the NDLEA enjoys from other stakeholders like Customs, the military, Immigration, Police, DSS, NSCDC, FRSC, NAFDAC, Aviation Security (AVSEC) and the media as well as international partners, Marwa said the Agency won’t relent in its offensive action targeting drug barons and their networks.
“In our renewed fight against drug trafficking, our offensive action is specifically targeting drug barons to disrupt distribution networks and uproot the drug pipelines in the country. To this end, we have arrested 48 barons in three years, 15 of whom are already serving jail terms while the rest are facing trials in court. This should serve as a warning to others that there is no hiding place in Nigeria for anyone involved in the illicit drug trade.
“NDLEA is resolved to end the reign of drug barons and disconnect Nigeria from the global drug trafficking network. We have maintained a consistently strong performance, every week. With this heroin bust, we are sending a warning again to drug traffickers within and outside the county that if they fail to desist from the illicit drug trade, the long arm of the law will catch up with them,” he said.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Tuesday, February 27, said its operatives intercepted a record-breaking heroin consignment imported into the country by a syndicate operating across three continents.
It said the operatives also arrested 10 suspects in the operation that lasted nine days, saw the blocking of 109 bank accounts and N119 million; sealing of hotels and mansions in the Ago Palace Way area of Lagos.
Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd) gave details of the operation at a news conference held in Lagos.
According to Marwa, the illicit Class A drugs totalling 51.90kg were carefully packaged, well-labeled, and concealed inside cutting machines billed for delivery at the cartel’s warehouse in the Ipaja area of the state.
With a street value of £100,000 per kilo, The Nation reports that the seized 51.90kg drugs with an estimated worth of £5,190,000 (N10,365,987,000 at N1,997.3/£ exchange rate).
Addressing newsmen at the NDLEA NAHCO office, Marwa said the seizure was similar to last year’s Ikorodu seizure which was also the highest single interception of cocaine by the agency.
He chronicled the steps the operatives took and how the agency’s sniffer dogs were handy in discovering the crime.
According to Marwa, the agency had already contacted its counterpart in South Africa to get leaders of the cartel who are residents in that country and Mozambique.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) yesterday said it arrested syndicates behind the recent importation of two containers laden with illicit drugs as well as assorted arms and ammunition from Durban, South Africa to the Tin-can Island Port, Lagos.
A statement issued by NDLEA’s Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said a clearing agent, Samuel Kayode; a dock worker, Anjorin Idowu and Uzairu Ahmed Iguda who was in charge of the Five Star terminal were arrested at the Tin Can Port in connection with the seizures.
It said: “Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have begun to unmask members of an organized criminal network behind the recent importation of two containers laden with illicit drugs as well as assorted arms and ammunition from Durban, South Africa to the Tincan seaport in Lagos.
“Among those already arrested as members of the syndicate are: a clearing and notify party of the two containers, Falowo Samuel Kayode; a dock worker, Anjorin Idowu and Uzairu Ahmed Iguda who is in charge of the Five Star terminal at the port. Another dock worker at the terminal, Mohammed Muktar Sule (alias organizer) who is equally linked to the syndicate is currently at large.”
Based on credible intelligence, the statement said, “the agency had requested for a 100 percent joint examination of two containers marked MSCU4581770 and TRHU7968071 from South Africa. As a result, the exercise was conducted with other stakeholders on 18th and 19th of January, 2024 during which 56.39kg cocaine and 795kg Colorado, a synthetic strong strain of cannabis among other illegal items were recovered from the containers.
“Following a tasking order by the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) to a combined team of specialised units of the agency to unravel those behind the importation of the large consignments of the illicit drugs, ongoing investigations have led to the discovery of more bags of Colorado weighing 192.7kg, a pistol, and rounds of ammunition removed from the container, MSCU4581770 and hidden in an empty container before the 100 percent joint examination at the Five Star terminal.
“As a result, two suspects: Uzairu Ahmed Iguda who is in charge of the terminal’s container positioning and stacking, and Anjorin Idowu who is a dock worker in the terminal have been arrested.
“Another suspect, Mohammed Muktar Sule (alias organizer) now at large, is also a dock worker in the terminal. “Investigations revealed that the three suspects conspired with the agent and notified the party, Falowo Samuel Kayode, to remove the 192.7kg Colorado, pistol and rounds of ammunition from the container to an empty container in the terminal.
“The latest seizure brings the total recovered from the two containers to 56.39kg of cocaine and 987.9kg of Colorado with a combined weight of 1,044.29kg.”
Investigations, the agency said, also revealed three kingpins believed to be based in South Africa and connected with the importation of the containers. “They include: Odeyemi Taiwo Emmanuel; Akinyemi Olayinka and Adebayo Adewole Emmanuel who are now on the agency’s wanted list,” it said.
The NDLEA said its operatives in other parts of the country also recovered illicit drugs, substances and arrested suspects within the week.
“In Edo state, NDLEA officers on Tuesday 20th February raided a drug joint under powerline off Etete road, GRA Benin city where they arrested a sales girl, Jessica Destiny, 24, and recovered assorted illicit drugs. A follow up operation the following day led to the arrest of the owner of the joint, 36-year-old Ibrahim Sani who is the Commander, Arewa Association Vigilantes in the area.
“While a consignment of 179kg cannabis was recovered by operatives at Badagry Waterside, Lagos on Wednesday 21st February, a 67-year-old grandpa, Rafiu Ogunro was nabbed on Thursday 22nd February, at Magbon, Ogun state with 57kg cannabis, 2,700 pills of tramadol, and 231 bottles of Codeine syrup, weighing 2.31 litres.
“In Borno, a 25-year-old lady, Zara Mele was arrested with quantities of cocaine and heroin at Baga check point on Tuesday 20th Feb, while Usman Shuaibu, 26, and Mohammed Lawan, 22, were also nabbed with quantities of the same class A drug at Meri and Babban Layi areas of Maiduguri the same day respectively.
“No less than 44,820 pills of opioids being taken to Zamfara state by Tasiu Mohammed, 25, and Abubakar Tanko, 54, were intercepted along Jega-Sokoto road by NDLEA officers in Kebbi state, while a farmer Ali Abdulhamid, 35, was arrested in his farm where he grows tomatoes and some stems of cannabis sativa weighing 73 kilograms at Bakin Kasuwa village, Birnin Yero area of Igabi LGA, Kaduna state.
“Two suspects: Shuaibu Ahmed, 38, and Tanimu Abdullahi, 29, travelling in a commercial bus from Lagos to Kano with 99 blocks of cannabis weighing 37kg were intercepted by NDLEA officers along Kwali-Gwagwalada express road, Abuja on Monday 19th Feb, while one Michael Okefi was arrested at Upper Iweka area of Onitsha, Anambra state with 483 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup concealed in two 50-litre kegs. A follow-up operation led to the arrest of the actual owner, Osinachi Jasper.
“At least 540 grams of cocaine concealed in canvas shoes heading to the UK were intercepted at a courier firm in Lagos on Friday 23rd Feb by NDLEA operatives of the Directorate of Operation and General Investigation, DOGI. Equally, a consignment of tramadol 225mg hidden in ladies headgear going to the UK was also seized the same day at the courier house, while another parcel containing ecstasy concealed in a body cream container meant for Cyprus was also intercepted.
“In Kano state, different quantities of opioids and other illicit drugs were recovered from at least 12 young men arrested in parts of Kano between Monday 19th and Friday 23rd February. Some of the suspects include: Yusuf Abdullahi,20; Usman Muh’d,18; Sadiq Jibrin, 20; Ibrahim Lawan, 25; Ukasha Usaini,19; Sahabi Lamini,15; Isiyaka Mohd, 28; Bashir Ayuba,36; Ahmad Idris,18; Abubakar Sani,29; Bashir Mohd, 21 and Udochukwu Ezekiel, 35,” it said.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said it has begun to unmask members of an organised criminal network behind the recent importation of two containers laden with illicit drugs as well as assorted arms and ammunition from Durban, South Africa to the Tincan seaport in Lagos.
The agency said among those already arrested as members of the syndicate are: a clearing and notify party of the two containers, Falowo Samuel Kayode; a dock worker, Anjorin Idowu and Uzairu Ahmed Iguda who is in charge of the Five Star terminal at the port.
Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters Abuja, Femi Babafemi, who made this known in a statement on Sunday, said another dock worker at the terminal, Mohammed Muktar Sule (alias organizer) who is equally linked to the syndicate is currently at large.
Babafemi said based on credible intelligence, the Agency had requested for a 100 percent joint examination of two containers marked MSCU 4581770 and TRHU 7968071 from South Africa.
He said as a result, the exercise was conducted with other stakeholders on 18th and 19th of January, 2024 during which 56.39kg cocaine and 795kg Colorado, a synthetic strong strain of cannabis among other illegal items were recovered from the containers.
He said the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Buba Marwa (Retd) gave an order to a combined team of specialized units of the agency to unravel those behind the importation of the large consignments of the illicit drugs.
According to the statement, ongoing investigations have led to the discovery of more bags of Colorado weighing 192.7kg, a pistol, and rounds of ammunition removed from the container, MSCU 4581770 and hidden in an empty container before the 100 percent joint examination at the Five Star terminal.
The statement reads: “As a result, two suspects: Uzairu Ahmed Iguda who is in charge of the terminal’s container positioning and stacking, and Anjorin Idowu who is a dock worker in the terminal have been arrested. Another suspect, Mohammed Muktar Sule (alias organizer) now at large, is also a dock worker in the terminal.
“Investigations reveal that the three suspects conspired with the agent and notify party, Falowo Samuel Kayode to remove the 192.7kg Colorado, pistol and rounds of ammunition from the container to an empty container in the terminal.
“The latest seizure brings the total recovered from the two containers to 56.39kg of cocaine and 987.9kg of Colorado with a combined weight of 1,044.29kg. Investigations have also revealed three kingpins believed to be based in South Africa and connected with the importation of the containers. They include: Odeyemi Taiwo Emmanuel; Akinyemi Olayinka and Adebayo Adewole Emmanuel who are now on the Agency’s wanted list.
“In Edo state, NDLEA officers on Tuesday 20th February raided a drug joint under powerline off Etete road, GRA Benin city where they arrested a sales girl, Jessica Destiny, 24, and recovered assorted illicit drugs. A follow up operation the following day led to the arrest of the owner of the joint, 36-year-old Ibrahim Sani who is the Commander, Arewa Association Vigilantes in the area.
“While a consignment of 179kg cannabis was recovered by operatives at Badagry Waterside, Lagos on Wednesday 21st February, a 67-year-old grandpa, Rafiu Ogunro was nabbed on Thursday 22nd February, at Magbon, Ogun state with 57kg cannabis, 2,700 pills of tramadol, and 231 bottles of Codeine syrup, weighing 2.31 litres.
“In Borno, a 25-year-old lady, Zara Mele was arrested with quantities of cocaine and heroin at Baga check point on Tuesday 20th Feb, while Usman Shuaibu, 26, and Mohammed Lawan, 22, were also nabbed with quantities of the same class A drug at Meri and Babban Layi
areas of Maiduguri the same day respectively.
“No less than 44,820 pills of opioids being taken to Zamfara state by Tasiu Mohammed, 25, and Abubakar Tanko, 54, were intercepted along Jega-Sokoto road by NDLEA officers in Kebbi state, while a farmer Ali Abdulhamid, 35, was arrested in his farm where he grows tomatoes and some stems of cannabis sativa weighing 73 kilograms at Bakin Kasuwa village, Birnin Yero area of Igabi LGA, Kaduna state.
“Two suspects: Shuaibu Ahmed, 38, and Tanimu Abdullahi, 29, travelling in a commercial bus from Lagos to Kano with 99 blocks of cannabis weighing 37kg were intercepted by NDLEA officers along Kwali-Gwagwalada express road, Abuja on Monday 19th Feb, while one Michael Okefi was arrested at Upper Iweka area of Onitsha, Anambra state with 483 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup concealed in two 50-litre kegs. A follow up operation led to the arrest of the actual owner, Osinachi Jasper.
“At least 540 grams of cocaine concealed in canvas shoes heading to the UK were intercepted at a courier firm in Lagos on Friday 23rd Feb by NDLEA operatives of the Directorate of Operation and General Investigation, DOGI. Equally, a consignment of tramadol 225mg hidden in ladies headgear going to the UK was also seized same day at the courier house, while another parcel containing ecstasy concealed in body cream container meant for Cyprus was also intercepted.
“In Kano state, different quantities of opioids and other illicit drugs were recovered from at least 12 young men arrested in parts of Kano between Monday 19th and Friday 23rd February. Some of the suspects include: Yusuf Abdullahi,20; Usman Muh’d,18; Sadiq Jibrin, 20; Ibrahim Lawan, 25; Ukasha Usaini,19; Sahabi Lamini,15; Isiyaka Mohd, 28; Bashir Ayuba,36; Ahmad Idris,18; Abubakar Sani,29; Bashir Mohd, 21 and Udochukwu Ezekiel, 35.
“In the same vein, Commands across the country intensified their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, advocacy lectures. These include: Sensitisation lectures for students of Fatahur Rahman Academy, Gumel, Jigawa state; students of Boys High School, Nawfia, Anambra state; students of Government Senior and Junior College, Victoria Island, Lagos with the Yobe state command paying WADA advocacy visit to the Emir of Fika, Alhaji Muhammadu Abali Idrissa and the Emir of Potiskum, Alhaji Umar Bubaram Ibn Wuriwa Bauya, among others.”
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) commended the officers and men of the Tincan, Lagos, Edo, Ogun, Kaduna, Kano, Anambra, Kebbi, Borno, and FCT Commands of the Agency for their balanced efforts in the past week.
He equally applauded their counterparts across the country for intensifying their WADA advocacy lectures thus creating parity between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction activities.
