The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted over 1.3 million pills and capsules of tramadol and other opioids, as well as 6,000kg of cannabis strains, with a combined street value of over N3.4 billion. The operations were conducted in Lagos, Edo, Niger, Delta, Ondo, Gombe, and Imo States, as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
A major breakthrough was the interception of 1,200 parcels of Canadian Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, weighing 603.75kg and valued at N1.811 billion. The consignment was seized at the Tin-Can Island Port in Lagos after NDLEA operatives placed a 40-foot container shipped from Montreal, Canada, under intensive monitoring based on intelligence. The container arrived on September 12 and was subjected to a joint physical examination by the NDLEA, Customs, and other security agencies on September 16.
In Delta State, NDLEA operatives arrested Innocent Ekpe, 49, along the Benin-Onitsha Expressway in Asaba on September 16 with 292.48kg of skunk hidden in his silver Toyota Sienna bus. Investigation revealed that Ekpe allegedly paraded himself as Godwin Emeka, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, using a forged police identification card to evade scrutiny at checkpoints while transporting illicit drugs. An alleged accomplice, Nduka Joseph, 39, was also arrested.
In Edo State, NDLEA operatives raided an auto-repair workshop along Agbor Road, Benin City, where they arrested 45-year-old Matthew Ossai. The agency said 48kg of Canadian Loud and 152g of methamphetamine were recovered from the workshop, which it alleged was being used as a front for storing illicit drugs. In Niger State, three suspects — Bashir Usman, 20; Abubakar Nuhu, 18; and Abdulrahman Abdulwahab, 18 — were arrested on September 15 along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway.
In Lagos, Onyeka Offor was arrested at his residence in Aguda, Surulere, on September 18 with 48,900 pills of tramadol 225mg. Seven cartons of cannabis sativa weighing 59kg were also intercepted at a logistics company in the state, leading to the arrest of a suspect, Luke Ugokwe. Another suspect, Ibrahim Hudu, 43, was arrested at Apongbo on September 17 with 998.38kg of nitrous oxide gas.
NDLEA operatives also made arrests in Gombe State, where 154,480 capsules of tramadol were recovered from two suspects, Sabi’u Umar, 27, and Hassana Muhammad, 19. In Imo State, Ifesinachi Godwin, 25, was arrested along the Owerri-Onitsha Road on September 18 with 43.85kg of skunk. Four suspects were also arrested during a raid on a two-hectare cannabis farm in Ita-Ogbolu Forest, Ondo State, leading to the destruction of 5,000kg of cannabis plants.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended the officers and men of the affected commands for their professionalism and intelligence-driven operations. Marwa urged them and other personnel of the agency to sustain a balanced approach to drug control efforts. The NDLEA also sustained its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities during the week, with enlightenment lectures at various schools and a visit to a traditional ruler in Warri Kingdom.
Key points
- NDLEA intercepts N3.4bn worth of Loud and opioids in operations across eight states and FCT.
- A fake police officer and several suspects were arrested in the operations.
- The NDLEA sustained its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities during the week.
