The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has revealed that interception and confiscation of over 9.5 million tablets of pharmaceutical opioids, which include Tramadol and Exol 5 estimated to cost over N5 billion in Lagos, Abuja, and Edo State. The Agency in a statement by the Director of Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Femi Babafemi indicated that hard drugs were intercepted at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and Edo State.
The NDLEA highlighted that of the 9.5 million hard drugs, “214 cartons of Tramadol 225 under 10 different brand names, which translate to 9, 219, 400 tablets weighing 6, 384.5kg, with an estimated street value of N4, 609, 700, 000 were transferred on Tuesday 29th March alongside 85 cartons of dried Khat leaves with a total weight of 1, 327.35kg by the Nigerian Customs to the MMIA Command of NDLEA as a symbol of the synergy between the two law enforcement agencies.
In Abuja, about 228,740 tablets and capsules of Tramadol and Exol 5 were intercepted on Friday 1st April at Abaji area of the FCT.”
Babafemi narrated that the truck ferrying the drugs was loaded in Lagos on transit to Kano. He noted that the truck driver escaped into the bush while the vehicle was being searched by NDLEA officials, but two of the motor boys, Usman Abdulmumini, 23, and Aminu Ahmad, 22, were arrested on the spot.
Femi Babafemi also narrated that at the Port Harcourt International Airport, a Brazilian returnee, Nnanna Anayo Michael, during the inward screening of passengers on board Qatar Airline flight QR1433 from Doha to Port Harcourt on Tuesday, 29th March, was arrested by NDLEA personnel.
According to Babafemi, “Nnanna who hails from Ekwusigo, Anambra State was arrested with 73 sachets weighing 8.15 kilograms of cocaine, which is the largest seizure of such at the airport, since it began international flight operations years ago.
“During a preliminary interview, Nnanna said he departed Sao Paulo, Brazil on Sunday midnight en route Qatar to Port Harcourt. He claimed an unidentified person in Sao Paulo gave him six-bed sheets in which the drug was concealed to deliver to another unidentified person at Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa.
“The 73 cocaine sachets were hidden in 4×1 feet factory-sewn colourful bed sheets. Five of the bed sheets contain 12 sachets each, while the sixth bed sheet contains 13 sachets.”
NDLEA stated that an immediate follow up operation led to the arrest of 50-year-old Monday Alaisu, who travelled from Lagos to pick the drug from Nnenna. “He was arrested at the airport’s carpark where he was waiting to receive Nnenna with the latter’s photograph taken at the Brazilian airport and his international passport’s Data Page in his hand,” Babafemi said.
The NDLEA also disclosed that 17.6kg cannabis was transferred along with a suspect, Ramon Dauda, to the State Command of NDLEA by the Oyo/Osun Area Command of Nigerian Customs Service, as narcotic officers on patrol along Lagos-Ibadan expressway on Thursday 31st March intercepted a consignment of 10kg cannabis and 12.1grams of amphetamine in a commercial bus in Oyo State. According to the agency, “a follow up operation in Ilesa, Osun State, led to the arrest of the owner of the drug exhibits, Mrs. Remi Aluko.”
The agency also revealed that three drug joints were raided at Wire Road, Benin City and Uromi town in Esan Central LGA where 188 pinches of Cocaine and Heroin were recovered with five suspects arrested.
In another raid in Okada town, a patent medicine dealer, Harrison Odion, was arrested with 70 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup; 9,638 Tramadol capsules; 16,843 tablets of Exol-5; 80 tablets of Diazepam and 62 ampules of Diazepam injection, said NDLEA. The agency maintained, in the same vein, operatives in the state destroyed seven clusters of dry season Cannabis Sativa farms in Okpuje Forest along the banks of River Ose totalling 3.124998 hectares.
NDLEA in the statement further highlighted: “At least, seven drug dealers were arrested in raids in parts of Kano with 80 kilograms of codeine and pentazocine injection seized from them.
“Those picked in Rijiyar Zaki, Brigade, Yan-Kaba, Tudun Wada, Karfi, Ungogo and Nassarawa areas of the state include Muhammad Adamu; Abba Sani; and Auwalu Muhammad, among others.
“While commending the working relationship between NDLEA and other security agencies in the country, Chairman/Chief Executive of the anti-narcotic agency, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) charged officers and men of the MMIA, PHIA, FCT, Edo, Oyo and Kano Commands not to rest on their oars.”