NDLEA arrests 11,340, convicts 1,111 in 11 months

By Emma Njoku

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said it arrested over 11,340 suspects and convicted 1,111 people for drug related offences across the country in the last 11 months.

Chairman/Chief Executive of the agency, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd), who made the disclosure, yesterday, warned that tougher times await drug barons, cartels and traffickers of illicit drugs in the year 2022.

Addressing the men and officers of the anti-narcotic agency at a meeting with the Directors, Zonal Commanders, State, and Special Area Commanders, yesterday, Marwa tasked them to make it difficult for drug barons, traffickers and cartels to operate in the country in the new year.

The NDLEA boss, who rewarded four state commands and 25 officers with cash-backed awards for their outstanding performances in the fight against illicit drugs across the country in the outgoing year, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his constant support and encouragement to the NDLEA and its work.

In his address contained in a statement by Mr. Femi Babafemi, the agency’s Director, Media and Advocacy,  Marwa said: “The figures of our Drug Supply Reduction activities have skyrocketed: 11, 340 arrests and 1,111 convictions in 11 months. These figures are balanced by equally impressive drug demand reduction statistics: 7,066 counselled and rehabilitated, all in our facilities.

“During the 11 months, we have successfully mopped up over 3.3 million kilograms of assorted drugs; away from the streets of Nigeria; away from criminals, terrorists and bandits; away from our youths.

“From all indications, our reward scheme has galvanised the NDLEA workforce as evidenced by our daily and weekly performance, which attracts national and international accolades. Just three weeks ago, at the ICPC 3rd National Summit on Diminishing Corruption in Nigeria, held on November 30, 2021, our officer was one of three distinguished Nigerians honoured by the President with the 2021 Public Service Integrity Award. That speaks volumes about the renewed work ethics within the agency.

“We are doing our utmost to win this war against drug abuse and trafficking of illicit substances, both from a policy perspective (such as the launch of the National Drug Control Master Plan, NDCMP 2021-2025) and from a tactical perspective (like the gradual takeoff of War Against Drug Abuse (WADA), across the 36 states). The onus is now on us to ensure that our performance will not become a flash in the pan.

“This awards ceremony should imbue us with the nous to sustain the momentum and the upward swing.

“This is my charge to the entire NDLEA workforce: We must, in good conscience, continue to justify the enormous energy we have invested this year, in turning around the fortunes of the agency.

Police parade 26 suspects for kidnapping, robbery, fraud, illegal possession of weapons

From Molly Kilete, Abuja

The Police Force Headquarters in Abuja, yesterday, paraded 26 suspects for kidnapping, armed robbery, illegal possession of firearms and fraud, among other crimes.

The suspects, among them five women, were arrested by operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IGP) across the country, for impersonation and working for various kidnap groups.

A total of 16 firearms, one AK-49 riffle, three AK 47 riffles, seven AK 47 magazines, 157 live ammunition, assorted smart phones, and N1.5 million were recovered from the suspects. At the time of their arrest.

Parading the suspects at the IRT headquarters in Abuja, Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, said one of the suspect, Abdulkareem Ibrahim, was arrested for kidnapping a nine-year-old boy from his school at new Karu, in Nassarawa state, and collected N1.5 million ransom from his parents before releasing him. He said the suspect, took advantage of the porous security situation at the school situated at new Nyanaya, to kidnap the little boy on the pretext that he was going to teach him how to use computer, which the boy gladly agreed to and followed him without being detected by teachers, staff and security of the school.

Mba, said the suspect, was arrested three days after he perpetrated the act. Also paraded was one Rakiya Baida, who pretends to be a medical doctor and works at the National hospital. The fake doctor, who wears a doctors outfit with her name in-scripted on the top with an identification card from the National hospital, specialises in obtaining goods in false pretence from innocent traders and other business operators and pays them with fake bank alert. The suspect, an indigene of Okene, in Kogi state, and a drop out medical student from the Bayero University, Kano, had extorted huge sums of monies from her unsuspecting customers before she was eventually arrested in Abuja. Mba said that before her arrest, the suspect had duped some traders in Plateau and Kwara states, where she was jailed for some months before she was released from prison.

Also paraded was a gang of four female who specialises in providing food, drinks, weapons and sex to kidnappers and bandits in Kaduna state. One of the suspects, Maryam Abubakar, a married woman, provides the criminals with women, including two of her daughters to have sex with them on a specific amount. The suspect, who has been in the business for sometime now, said she was introduced into the trade by one of her boyfriend who is also a member of the gang. She said the money she makes from the illegal deal made her to introduce her daughters and other village girls to the criminals.

Mba said the suspects, who are still undergoing interrogation, would be charged to court after investigation is concluded.

“To the entire NDLEA workforce, I can assure you that we can look ahead into the future without anxiety. We should be confident that better days are here. However, we need to constantly remind ourselves that our performance is the catalyst that will hasten our journey to a drug free Nigeria.”