In a sweeping crackdown across several
states, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has made significant
drug seizures and arrests, uncovering sophisticated smuggling tactics and
intercepting large quantities of illicit substances destined for both domestic
and international markets.
Cocaine Hidden in Religious Books Bound
for Saudi Arabia
In a major international interdiction operation, NDLEA operatives at a Lagos
courier company uncovered a consignment of 500 grams of cocaine cleverly
concealed within 20 sets of religious books destined for Saudi Arabia. The
operation, led by the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation
(DOGI), took place on Tuesday, April 15, during a routine check of outbound
parcels.
At another courier facility that same day, the agency
intercepted 2.8 kilograms of Loud — a potent strain of cannabis — hidden in a
carton arriving from the United States.
Interstate Smugglers and Bandit Suppliers
Nabbed
In Kano, NDLEA officers arrested Muhammad Mohammed, a 22-year-old believed to
be a drug courier for bandits, with 277 ampoules of pentazocine injection taped
to his thigh and private parts. He was en route to Katsina when intercepted on
Sunday, April 13.
That same day, Mohammed Abdulrahman Abdulaziz, 43, was
caught in the Research Rimin Kebe area of Nasarawa, Kano with 68 blocks of
skunk weighing 30kg.
Drug Dens and Raids Yield Massive
Recoveries
In Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, a sting operation on Wednesday, April 17, uncovered
a drug storage house with 557.2kg of skunk, 5.6kg of methamphetamine, and 29.8
grams of heroin. Four suspects — Sarimiye Suwa Kurtis, Roland Prosper, Sarimiye
Tare Paul, and Fidelis Ugbesla — were arrested.
In Lagos, a van loaded with 1,100kg of skunk was
intercepted in Surulere, with the driver, Ismail Abdullahi, arrested.
Meanwhile, in Zaria, Kaduna State, NDLEA operatives raided the residence of Ike
Ani, 30, and recovered 31,950 pills of tramadol and diazepam.
Smuggling via Charcoal and Concealment
Tricks
In Kebbi, officers stopped a vehicle carrying charcoal from Malabil, Benin
Republic, only to find 97kg of skunk hidden within. Three men — Abubakar
Ibrahim, Mustapha Aliyu, and Bashar Lawali — were arrested.
Also arrested was Okafor Marcel, 48, in Abatete,
Anambra State, with 11.5kg of skunk, and Ajala Mercy, 27, in Osogbo, Osun
State, with 43 litres of skushi, a locally brewed psychoactive mixture.
Cannabis Farms Destroyed, Suspected
Kingpin Arrested
In Egbeta forest, Edo State, NDLEA teams destroyed 1.5 hectares of cannabis
farms, destroying over 3,717kg of live plants and recovering 136.5kg of
processed cannabis.
Meanwhile, at Tincan Port in Lagos, a long-wanted
suspect, Basorun Usman Kayode, was arrested in connection with a 2023 seizure
of 107kg of Loud smuggled from Canada. Another dealer, Dauda Yakubu, known for
distributing drugs in the port area, was also nabbed.
WADA Advocacy Continues Nationwide
Complementing its enforcement actions, the agency’s War Against Drug Abuse
(WADA) campaign continued with outreach programs in schools, markets, and motor
parks across Lagos, Ekiti, Niger, Osun, Cross River, and Anambra States.
Marwa Commends Officers
NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), praised operatives across
the country, particularly those in the DOGI, Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Kebbi, Edo,
Osun, and Tincan Commands, for their dedication in both supply suppression and
demand reduction efforts.
“The commitment of our officers shows our unrelenting
resolve to break the chains of drug trafficking and abuse in Nigeria. Every
seizure and arrest is a message to traffickers: the NDLEA is always watching,”
Marwa said.
As NDLEA intensifies its operations, the agency
continues to reinforce the message that no hiding place remains for drug
traffickers — whether they operate in cities, forests, or international
networks.
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