The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intensified its nationwide crackdown on illicit drug networks, recording multiple seizures and arrests across states, including the destruction of a massive 178,750 kilograms of cannabis cultivated on 71.5 hectares of farmland in Taraba State.
A 75-year-old man, Uchelue Ikechukwu, was among six suspects arrested in Anambra State with various quantities of illicit substances.
NDLEA operatives nabbed him at Umudioka, Dunukofia Local Government Area with 26.7kg of skunk on August 28, while five others were picked up at Nkwelle and Amichi for possessing opioids and cannabis.
In a major operation in Taraba, 30-year-old Alfa Andrew was arrested with a Dane gun after operatives, supported by the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Forest Security Service, Mambila Youth Vanguard, and vigilante groups, stormed his massive cannabis farm in Mayodoga forest, Sardauna LGA. The raid led to the destruction of 178,750kg of skunk.
The NDLEA also intercepted 104,900 tramadol capsules hidden in the driver’s compartment of a fuel tanker headed for Borno, suspected to be destined for insurgent groups.
The seizure took place at the Abuja-Kaduna tollgate, leading to the arrest of the driver, Hassan Buba. In Zaria, another suspect, Kabir Sulaiman, was caught with 34.1kg of skunk.
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In Maiduguri, NDLEA operatives arrested a major opioid supplier, 33-year-old Uchenna Umeh, recovering 30,640 tramadol pills, 7,940 rohypnol tablets, and N7.99 million cash in new N200 notes.
Further arrests were recorded in Nasarawa, Adamawa, Gombe, Kano, Edo, Ondo, Ekiti, and Lagos, where suspects were caught with large consignments of tramadol, diazepam, codeine-based syrup, cannabis, and other psychoactive substances.
Notably, in Ekiti State, operatives seized the largest single consignment of Loud and Colorado cannabis strains in the state’s history, recovering 5.3kg of the substances and methamphetamine from drug kingpin Ajayi Ayodeji Idowu, a.k.a. Atiku.
The agency also carried out advocacy under its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative, visiting schools, worship centres, palaces, and government institutions in states including Anambra, Ebonyi, Lagos, and Ogun.
Commending the officers, NDLEA Chairman/CEO Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) applauded the coordinated nationwide operations and urged continued vigilance against drug trafficking while reinforcing public sensitization.