By Danjuma Amodu
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted over 1.3 million pills and capsules of tramadol and other opioids, and about 6,000 kilogrammes of cannabis in a nationwide crackdown with a combined street value of over N3.4 billion.
The seizures were recorded in Lagos, Edo, Niger, Delta, Ondo, Gombe, Imo and the Federal Capital Territory between September 15 and 18, leading to the arrest of a man allegedly impersonating a senior police officer to transport narcotics.
The NDLEA, in a statement on Sunday by its spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said the operations also led to the arrest of three suspects found with locally fabricated firearms and ammunition in Niger State.
One of the major breakthroughs occurred along the Benin-Onitsha Expressway in Asaba, Delta State, where operatives arrested 49-year-old Innocent Ekpe on September 16 with 292.48kg of skunk concealed in his silver Toyota Sienna bus.
According to the agency, preliminary 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.
A second suspect, 39-year-old Nduka Joseph, was also arrested in connection with the operation.
At Tin-Can Island Port, Lagos, operatives intercepted 1,200 parcels of Canadian Loud weighing 603.75kg with an estimated street value of N1.811 billion.
Babafemi said the 40-foot container, shipped from Montreal, Canada, arrived on September 12 and was placed under surveillance following intelligence.
He said a joint examination involving NDLEA operatives, the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies on September 16 uncovered the cannabis concealed in 31 black jumbo bags inside two Toyota Sienna vehicles.
In Benin City, Edo State, officers raided an auto-repair workshop on Agbor Road and arrested 45-year-old Matthew Ossai, who allegedly used the workshop as cover for storing illicit drugs. Recovered from the premises were 48kg of Canadian Loud, 152 grammes of methamphetamine and a metal box used for storage.
The largest opioid seizure was recorded along the Abaji-Abuja Highway, where operatives arrested Aminu Isyaku, 23, and Jamilu Habibu, 25, while allegedly transporting over 1.1 million assorted tramadol tablets and capsules, codeine syrup, methamphetamine and Exol tablets concealed in eight sacks from Onitsha, Anambra State, to Mararaba, Nasarawa State.
In Lagos, Onyeka Ofor was arrested at his residence in Aguda, Surulere, with 48,900 tablets of tramadol 225mg, while Luke Ugokwe was arrested after operatives intercepted seven cartons containing 59kg of cannabis sativa at a logistics company.
Also in Lagos, 43-year-old Ibrahim Hudu was arrested at Apongbo with 998.38kg of nitrous oxide gas.
In Niger State, three suspects — Bashir Usman, 20; Abubakar Nuhu, 18; and Abdulrahman Abdulwahab, 18 — were arrested on September 15 along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway at Chachi, Tafa Local Government Area, with two locally fabricated AK-47 rifles and a magazine, a locally made pistol with a magazine and nine rounds of 9mm ammunition concealed in a black travel bag.
In Gombe State, 154,480 tramadol capsules were recovered from Sabi’u Umar, 27, and Hassana Muhammad, 19, arrested separately at Barunde and Gombe Main Market.
In Imo State, operatives arrested 25-year-old Ifesinachi Godwin along the Owerri-Onitsha Road with 43.85kg of skunk.
In Ondo State, operatives raided a two-hectare cannabis farm in Ita-Ogbolu forest on September 15, arrested Blessing Effiong, Saviour Peter, David Friday Sunday and Ability Peter Sunday, and destroyed about 5,000kg of skunk, while 48kg of dry and fresh cannabis was recovered as exhibit.
The agency said its commands also sustained the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaign in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities during the week.
NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd.), commended officers of the Lagos, Tin-Can, Edo, Niger, Delta, Ondo, Gombe, Imo and FCT Commands for the seizures and arrests.
