The suspect
A Lagos based software Engineer Olu Marshal was on Tuesday November 5th arrested by operatives of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA,
According to a statement from the agency’s image maker Femi Babafemi, the software engimeer was arrested while he was about to pick a 700grams consignment of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis. A follow up search of his home in Lekki led to the recovery of some drug paraphernalia, including a cannabis crusher.
Attempt by another suspect, Orji Ogbonna Nnaorji to send 32.50kg bottles of codeine syrup and 5.70kg cannabis to London, UK, concealed in tiger nuts cargo through the export shed of the Lagos airport was frustrated by NDLEA operatives on Friday 8th November. A follow up operation led to the arrest of Orji at his warehouse in Ajao estate, Lagos.
In Kwara state, not less than 162,800 pills of opioids were seized by NDLEA operatives from four suspects during interdiction operations in parts of the state. While 112,200 tablets of tramadol were recovered from Wahab Alao Saliu, 18,900 tablets of same opioid were recovered from Dalha Musa both at Eiyenkorin area of Ilorin; 29,000 pills of tramadol, 200 ampoules of diazepam and 99 bottles of codeine syrup seized from Ahmed Isiaka, just as 2,500 tabs of tramadol were seized from Ahmed Garba, both at Bode Saadu in Moro local government area of the state on Friday 8th November.
In Abuja, NDLEA operatives in the Federal Capital Territory on Thursday 7th November intercepted a truck along Abaji- Kwali road with 755.50kg cannabis concealed under empty cartons of noodles. The truck driver, Lukman Rasheed, 41, claimed that bags of the psychoactive substance were loaded into the trailer in Ogbese, Ondo state after departing Lagos with only empty cartons of noodles.
A suspect, Yusuf Abubakar, 43, was arrested by operatives on Monday 4th November at Ibi, Taraba state while conveying to Kano 361 compressed blocks of cannabis weighing 156.95kg in a commercial bus marked WKR 772 XA. Not less than 245 blocks of same substance with a total weight of 121kg were recovered by NDLEA officers on patrol along Wukari – Ibi road on Thursday 7th November.
Two suspects: Hamza Yakubu, 30, and Abdulra’uf Danjuma, 23, were on Wednesday 6th November arrested at Gidan Manjagab area of Jos, Plateau state with 113 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 141kg, while a Chadian, Hassan Muhammad Ali, 31, was nabbed on Tuesday 5th November at Gadar Tamburawa, Zaria-Kano road, Kano, with 3,000 pills of tramadol 225mg.
While a suspect Ibrahim Adamu was arrested at Jere area of Kaduna state with 35 sacks of cannabis sativa weighing 338.8 kilograms, NDLEA operatives in Edo state on Friday 8th November recovered 1,078kg cannabis at Okhuokhuo – Isi forest and 228kg of same substance at Sabo- Auchi.
In Ondo state, four suspects: Friday Daniel, Patrick Felix, Samuel Agada and Igwe Chukwuka were arrested at Emure Ile with 672kg cannabis sativa, while 513kg of same substance was seized at Gbodo camp, Ikun Akoko and a total of 4, 908kg cannabis recovered from a suspect Musibau Kosama at Alabi Yellow, Ijoka area of Akure on Wednesday 6th November.
Across the country, NDLEA Commands continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization lectures and advocacy visits to worship centres, schools, workplaces, palaces of traditional rulers and communities all through the past week. Instances include: WADA sensitization lecture to students and staff of Park Royal College, Apapa Lagos; Government Secondary School, Atu, Cross River; Ladigbolu Grammar School 2, Oyo, Oyo state; Iman Secondary School, Arkilla, Sokoto; Rosary Girls College, Nise, Anambra; Havilah Gold Secondary School, Odomola, Epe, Lagos state; while the Edo State command of NDLEA paid a WADA advocacy visit to HRM Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo Oba Ewuare II, among others.
While commending the officers and men of DI, SIU, Apapa, MMIA, FCT, Taraba, Kwara, Plateau, Kano, Kaduna, Edo, and Ondo Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) also applauded their compatriots in all the commands across the country for intensifying the WADA sensitization lectures and advocacy messages to every part of their areas of responsibility.
