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By Emma Njoku
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recorded another major success in its war against illicit drugs across the country with the seizure of 203, 879 tablets of various pharmaceutical opioids and illicit substances in raids across Abia, Kaduna, Yobe and Kogi States.
Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr. Femi Babafemi, who made the disclosure in a statement, yesterday, said that operatives of the agency also oiled fresh bids by drug cartels to export tramadol, ecstasy MDMA and cannabis to Milan, Italy and Dubai, United Arab Emirates through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
He said that five members of a syndicate that specialised in fake recruitment into security agencies were also arrested in coordinated operations in Zamfara, Kebbi and Bauchi states. The statement reads: “At the Lagos airport, a female passenger, Odia Emiliana Efe, was arrested on Monday, May 9, while trying to board Royal Air Maroc flight from Lagos, via Casablanca to Milan, Italy, with 1000 tablets of tramadol 200mg concealed in food items.
“Five days after, Friday, May 13, a freight agent, Kareem Ibrahim, was arrested at the SAHCO cargo shed of the airport for attempting to export food items in which were hidden blocks of cannabis weighing 6.65kg and 24grams of ecstasy drug, MDMA, to Dubai in UAE.
“In Abia, three trucks loaded with drugs coming from Lagos and Onitsha, Anambra, were intercepted in Aba, Abia state. When properly searched in the presence of the owners on Wednesday, May 11, 67,100 tablets/capsules of tramadol and 12,650 ampules of pentazocine, morphine and dopamine were recovered.
“On the same day, NDLEA operatives in Kaduna arrested a notorious drug dealer, Shehu Kabiru, a.k.a Dan-Zaira, wanted by the Katsina Command of the agency for jumping bail.
“Recovered from him include: 45,000 tablets of diazepam weighing 41.5kg; 50,000 tablets of exol, weighing 15.6kg; 1,500 tablets of rohypnol weighing 700 grams and 300 bottles of codeine weighing 41.5kg.
“In Yobe state, no fewer than 7,029 tablets of tramadol, D5, and exol as well as 1.5kg cannabis were recovered from a drug dealer, Ibrahim Yakubu, when his hideout was raided in Unguru town on Sunday, May 8, while in Rivers state, one Chekiri Richard Obomanu was arrested at the Eleme area, last Wednesday, with 207.2kg cannabis.
“No less than 19,600 tablets of tramadol coming from Onitsha, Anambra state to Abuja, were intercepted and recovered along Okene/Abuja highway, last Wednesday, by NDLEA operatives in Kogi state.”
Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd) commended the officers and men of the MMIA, Abia, Kaduna, Yobe, Rivers and Kogi for the arrests and seizures. He equally acknowledged the well-conducted operations in Zamfara, Kebbi and Bauchi that nailed five members of a criminal gang scamming innocent job seekers with fake employment letters.
He charged them and their compatriots across all Commands not to rest on their oars but should continue to aspire to beat previous records.
