NDLEA seizes tonnes of cannabis, other drugs in seven states

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has seized large quantities of cannabis and other illicit drugs in separate operations across seven states, the agency said on Sunday.

The NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, explained in a statement shared with PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday that the operations took place in Kano, Plateau, Edo, Ondo, Kaduna, Bayelsa and Delta states.

In Edo, the agency noted that its operatives destroyed 4,832.56kg of cannabis, also known as skunk, found on farms in Usen, Igwe-Oke and Ogboha forests.

The farms were in Ovia South West, Owan East and Owan West Local Government Areas. A 39-year-old man, Sunday Segun, was arrested during the operation on Friday.

In Bayelsa, four people were arrested at Ovom in Yenagoa after 110 bags of cannabis weighing 876kg were recovered, the agency said.

They were identified as Godwoman Gboriye, 70; Motombo Silver, 44; Pere Andrew, 39; and Keme Andrew, 43.

In Kano, operatives raided a location in Sabon Gari and arrested 20-year-old Saidu Adamu with 785,000 capsules of Pregabalin weighing 669.425kg.

Another suspect, Habibu Sabitu, 28, was arrested after NDLEA officers stopped his vehicle along the Zaria-Kano-Hadejia road.

The agency said 1,700 tablets of diazepam were found hidden inside loaves of bread in the vehicle.

In Plateau State, operatives recovered 157,100 capsules of tramadol from Chinedu Uzor, 51, at Katako Market in Jos.

In Ondo State, NDLEA operatives acting on intelligence raided a residence along Oke-Iya, Ijoka Road, Akure, on Wednesday and found 186kg of cannabis in the boot of a Toyota Avalon.

The agency identified the suspect as 58-year-old Paul Ogbuwala and alleged that he was preparing to transport the consignment to Jos for distribution.

In Kaduna, operatives arrested Hannah Michael at Gonin Gora with 369.6kg of cannabis.

Drugs hidden in speakers

In Delta State, separate operations in Ughelli and Asaba led to the recovery of pentazocine injections, codeine syrup, tramadol, diazepam, flunitrazepam, also known as Hypnox, and MDMA, commonly called Molly.

Some of the drugs were hidden inside music speakers, the agency said. Two suspects, Emeka Oji and Chukwuebuka Anedi, were arrested.

The latest seizures come amid a series of major drug interceptions reported by the agency in recent weeks. Last week, the NDLEA stated that it seized 966,200 tablets of Tramadol worth more than N1.1 billion at the Lagos airport.

Also, the agency intercepted 2,145kg of cannabis concealed in a fuel tanker in Ondo State.

During the week, NDLEA stated that its commands carried out drug-abuse sensitisation programmes in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities.

NDLEA Chairman, Buba Marwa, commended the operatives involved in the operations.

He directed them to keep up efforts to disrupt drug trafficking routes and cannabis cultivation.

He also urged the agency’s formations to maintain surveillance of trafficking routes through airports, seaports, land borders and cannabis-growing areas.