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By Emma Njoku
Operatives of the National Drug and Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 72-year-old man and five undergraduate students in possession of hard drugs.
The suspects were arrested during a weeklong raid by operatives of the agency across nine states and at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, leading to the seizure of 5,721.92 kilogrammes of Indian hemp and other drugs.
The 72-year-old man, Emmanuel Akanbi, was arrested at Odofin Camp, Uso, Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State with 2,050 kilogrammes of Indian hemp.
The varsity students belong to the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Yola, and the University of Maiduguri.
NDLEA’s Director, Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi, in a statement issued yesterday, in Abuja, said that one Okorie Onyeribe was arrested at the MMIA on December 3 while attempting to export 21.85kg of Indian hemp concealed in foodstuffs to London.
Babafemi stated that two students, Emmanuel Thlama and Jonah Joshua, were arrested with 16.750kg of Indian hemp, on November 30, when NDLEA operatives raided a settlement opposite Gate 4 of the University of Maiduguri.
He added that the three other students, Ekene Asher, Daniel Alkali and Emmanuel Smooth, are undergraduates of AUN arrested on December 2.
Babafemi explained that their arrest followed their receipt of “Loud’’ a very strong variant of Indian hemp, ordered by Asher.
“Equally, ThankGod Danladi, who completed a jail term in October, was arrested on Wednesday, December 1, with 67 kilograms of Indian hemp in a raid in Taraba.
“Also, on December 2, NDLEA operatives intercepted a motorised concrete mixer truck used to conceal 2000.6kg of Indian hemp loaded at Ogbese, Ondo State.
“Two suspects arrested with the drugs, Matthew Donuwe and Friday Nborgwu, claimed they had spent one month on the road from Ondo State en-route Mubi, Adamawa, before they were arrested at Girei also in Adamawa.
“In Oyo State, operatives intercepted 608.40 kilograms of Indian hemp concealed in a black Toyota Sequoia SUV parked at the Toll Gate area on Ibadan-Ife Expressway, on December 3.
He added that one Praise Emmanuel and Aminu Aliyu were also arrested with 228 kilograms of Indian hemp in Kano.
Also in Taraba, operatives evacuated 364kg of Indian hemp from farms in Changso Village, Kurmi Local Government Area, located on the mountains between Nigeria and Cameroon and set the farms on fire.
“In Niger state, operatives intercepted a commercial bus on Mokwa-Jebba Road laden with 215kg of Indian hemp concealed in a false bottom case and side door of the bus.
“Two suspects, the driver and his conductor claimed they loaded the consignment at Ogere, Ogun State and were heading to Sokoto.
“In Delta, a lady, Tina Ujene, was arrested in Ibusa with 1.1kg Indian hemp and a follow-up raid on her supplier’s home led to the recovery of 54.7 kilograms of the same substance,’’ Babafemi said.
The NDLEA spokesman said different quantities of Indian hemp, methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, diazepam and Exol-5 were also seized in raids at different areas of Port Harcourt.
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd) has commended the officers and men of the agency for their recent efforts and charged them to constantly focus on raising the bar of their achievements until the last gram of illicit drug is taken away from every community in Nigeria.
