NDLEA busts drug syndicates across Nigeria, seizes large quantities of cannabis, meth, codeine and others

Published By Aisha Rabo On Feb 18, 2024

NDLEA busts drug syndicates across Nigeria, seizes large quantities of cannabis, meth, codeine and others

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced a series of successful operations against drug trafficking syndicates across Nigeria, resulting in the seisure of large quantities of cannabis, methamphetamine, codeine, and other illicit substances, as well as the arrest of several suspects.

According to a statement by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, “one of the major operations was the interception of a large consignment of Loud, a synthetic strong strain of cannabis, concealed in giant loudspeakers imported from New York, USA, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos. He said that when the NDLEA officers opened the wooden boxes, they found 60 bags of the expensive and highly sought-after drug, weighing 33.5 kilograms.”

He said that three suspects, namely Akeem Afeez, a freight agent; Babalola Ayodeji Gboyega, a logistics company manager; and Taiwo Olusegun Anuoluwapo, the receiver of the cargo, were arrested in follow-up operations between Thursday and Friday.

Babafemi also said that in Abia state, a joint raid operation by the NDLEA and the State Homeland Security at a residence in Umuahia on Wednesday night led to the arrest of a female lawyer, Adaobi Nweke, and six other members of her family, who were involved in the illicit drug business inherited from their late father, Jonathan Nweke. He said that various quantities of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, Loud, cannabis, and precursor chemicals, with a total weight of 1.670 kilograms, as well as N578,400 cash, were recovered from them.

He further said that in Nasarawa state, an Uber driver, Joshua Henry, was intercepted by the NDLEA operatives on Monday while trying to deliver 26.2 grams of Loud from Abuja to a customer in Keffi. He said that in Kano state, a 54-year-old man, Dada Adedara, was arrested on Wednesday with 468 blocks of cannabis, weighing 246.4 kilograms. He said that in Ogun state, two women, Kafayat Junaid and Sakirat Osoanu, were arrested with 13 kilograms of cannabis.

Babafemi also said that in Kogi state, a 45-year-old man, Charles Chike, was arrested on Friday in a hotel in Lokoja with 290 blocks of compressed cannabis, weighing 116 kilograms. He said that the drug was hidden in the boot of a blue Honda Accord car with Abuja registration number, which was coming from Ekiti state to Abuja. He said that in Ondo state, 227 kilograms of cannabis were seized from a camp in Owo local government area, and two suspects, John Jonathan and Emmanuel Alex, were arrested.

Babafemi also said that in Edo state, the NDLEA operatives acting on intelligence intercepted a consignment of methamphetamine coming from Onitsha, Anambra state, to Lagos, in a Toyota Sienna bus with Anambra registration number, on Wednesday. He said that the methamphetamine, weighing 0.966 kilogram, was concealed inside a local delicacy called “Abacha”. He said that the driver of the vehicle, Afamefuna Ibeawuchi Kingsley, 42, was arrested. He said that on the same day, another team of NDLEA officers intercepted a Peugeot 406 car driven by Akhere Fardam, 47, along Uromi road in Esan Northeast local government area. He said that a search of the car revealed 865 bottles of codeine, 2,600 pills of tramadol, and 600 tablets of swinol and Rohypnol.

Babafemi also said that in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, the NDLEA operatives conducted raid operations in different locations and arrested several drug dealers and users. He said that some of the drugs seized include cannabis, cocaine, heroin, tramadol, diazepam, and rohypnol.

Babafemi quoted the NDLEA Chairman, retired Brigadier General Buba Marwa, as commending the officers and men of the agency for their outstanding feats in the past week. He also lauded their counterparts in all the commands across the country for intensifying their drug awareness and advocacy lectures, thus creating a balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts. He said that the NDLEA was determined to rid Nigeria of the menace of drug trafficking and abuse, and urged the public to support the agency in its mission.

NDLEA busts drug syndicates across Nigeria, seizes large quantities of cannabis, meth, codeine and others