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From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a twice-convicted cocaine trafficker who allegedly disguised himself as a herbal tea merchant to continue his illicit trade.
The agency also intercepted a 20,000-litre fuel tanker fitted with a concealed compartment used to smuggle 2,145kg of cannabis, as well as recovered consignments of cannabis, tramadol, methamphetamine and other psychotropic substances in a nationwide crackdown spanning Lagos, Adamawa, Ondo, Kaduna, Bauchi, Ekiti, Kogi, Taraba and Enugu states.
The suspected cocaine trafficker, identified as 34-year-old Dunu Ebubechukwu, was arrested following an intelligence-led investigation triggered by the interception of 1.2kg of cocaine concealed in phone chargers and destined for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The consignment was intercepted at a courier company in Lagos on July 31.
Following the seizure, NDLEA operatives launched an investigation which led to Ebubechukwu’s arrest on September 4 during a sting operation at Article Market, opposite Trade Fair Market, Ojo, Lagos.
During interrogation, the suspect allegedly admitted masterminding previous drug shipments and disclosed that he discarded his SIM card after learning that the Riyadh-bound cocaine consignment had been intercepted.
Further investigation revealed that Ebubechukwu was not a first-time offender.
He was initially arrested in 2011 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, after he ingested 900 grammes of cocaine and 130 grammes of heroin in an attempt to smuggle the drugs to Austria.
He was subsequently convicted and sentenced to five years in prison.
However, after his release, he allegedly changed his name and returned to the illicit drug trade.
A search of his residence in Ejigbo, Lagos, on September 4, reportedly yielded phone chargers similar to those used to conceal the 1.2kg cocaine shipment intercepted at the courier company.
Meanwhile, at the Lagos airport, NDLEA operatives intercepted 966,200 tablets of Tramadol 225mg, with an estimated street value of over N1.1 billion.
The tablets were concealed among thrift trousers in a 21-carton shipment imported from Pakistan.
The operatives also seized 57.80kg of “Loud”, a potent strain of synthetic cannabis valued at over N173 million.
The consignment was concealed in cartons of disposable gloves imported from Singapore.
In Ondo State, NDLEA operatives intercepted a fuel tanker marked MKA 960 XC after a dramatic chase along the Akoko/Lokoja Expressway on September 4.
The driver allegedly refused to stop when flagged down and eventually abandoned the tanker and fled on foot.
A search of the 20,000-litre tanker uncovered a specially constructed false compartment containing 165 bags of cannabis weighing 2,145kg.
The illicit consignment was concealed alongside the legitimate fuel cargo reportedly being transported to Jos.
At the Tincan Port in Lagos, the agency intercepted another 598.08kg consignment of cannabis-laced cookies and gummies.
The latest seizure was linked to three suspects — Yashim Dauji, Larry Ifeanyi and Joseph Moji — who are already in custody over an earlier seizure involving 842.54kg of the same drug-laced snacks.
In Adamawa State, NDLEA operatives recovered 864,000 opioid pills from a residence allegedly linked to a fleeing suspect, Patrick KC Frank.
The suspect reportedly escaped after his vehicle rammed an NDLEA patrol van during an attempt to evade arrest.
Also in Adamawa, a 35-year-old methamphetamine supplier, Calistus Ebubechukwu, was arrested with 2kg of the illicit drug.
Another suspect, Attahiru Hussaini, was intercepted at the Namtari checkpoint, Mubi, with a large consignment of Tramadol concealed inside a bus loaded with soap.
In Lagos, NDLEA operatives recovered 2,386.9kg of cannabis, 350 grammes of cocaine, more than 100kg of assorted Tramadol, 9.7 litres of codeine-based syrup and 4kg of Rohypnol at Gbaji.
Two other suspects were arrested at Agbara with 720kg of cannabis.
In Kogi State, three suspects were arrested after 636kg of cannabis was discovered concealed in bags of chicken manure.
Similarly, a cement truck heading to Kaduna was intercepted with 1,179kg of skunk concealed in the vehicle.
Further arrests and seizures were recorded in Bauchi, Ekiti and Enugu states, involving cannabis farms, harvested skunk and Tramadol capsules.
The nationwide operation also extended to Taraba and other states as the agency intensified its intelligence-led efforts to disrupt the cultivation, production, movement and distribution of illicit drugs.
Beyond arrests and seizures, NDLEA commands across the country continued with their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns.
The programmes included awareness sessions for nursing mothers in Ogun State, youths in Abia State and staff of the Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) in Rivers State.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended the officers and men involved in the operations for their commitment and vigilance.
Marwa urged them to sustain intelligence-driven operations against drug traffickers and their networks.
He warned that traffickers who attempt to evade arrest by changing their identities, adopting new business fronts or disguising their illicit activities would continue to be tracked down.
According to him, the agency would not relent in its efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks and prevent illicit drugs from reaching communities across the country.
