NDLEA Recovers Tonnes of Illicit Drugs in Nine States

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recovered large quantities of illicit drugs in operations across Kano, Lagos, Bauchi, Niger, Edo, Ondo, Taraba, Oyo and Delta states.

The agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, detailing a series of arrests, seizures and raids targeting drug trafficking networks.

In Warri, Delta State, operatives arrested a suspect found with a large consignment of pharmaceutical opioids. The seized substances included 29,350 tramadol capsules, 6,620 tablets of tramadol 200mg, 4,116 bottles of codeine syrup, 11,340 Rohypnol tablets and 3,500 diazepam tablets.

Other recovered items included 300 ampoules of pentazocine injection, 200 ampoules of diazepam injection and quantities of tramadol 225mg, Molly and Cocodamol. The suspect and a white Hummer bus were transferred to the NDLEA by the Nigeria Police Force in Delta State.

In another operation in Warri on October 19, officers arrested a 46-year-old physically challenged woman and recovered six kilogrammes of cannabis, commonly known as skunk.

In Ibadan, Oyo State, a 41-year-old suspect was arrested on October 19 after allegedly escaping an earlier operation in which officers seized 197.8 kilogrammes of cannabis from his residence on September 16.

The agency also reported significant seizures in northern Nigeria. In Kano, a raid in the Gerawa area on October 22 led to the arrest of a suspect and the recovery of 159 blocks of cannabis weighing 97.2 kilogrammes.

At a checkpoint in Lankaviri, Yorro Local Government Area of Taraba State, officers arrested a suspect on October 23 with 95 compressed blocks of cannabis weighing 60.175 kilogrammes. On the same day, police handed over another suspect arrested at Dakka village in Bali Local Government Area with 112 blocks weighing 81.49 kilogrammes.

In Niger State, a suspect was arrested on October 19 along the Sabo-Kainji Road in Borgu Local Government Area with 64,000 opioid pills, including tramadol and diazepam.

In Bauchi State, another suspect was arrested on October 21 in Nasaru town, Ningi Local Government Area, where officers seized 379 kilogrammes of cannabis packed in seven large sacks.

In Ondo State, an intelligence-led raid on a farm at Board-Ala, Akure South, on October 20 resulted in the recovery of 56 bags of abandoned cannabis weighing 583 kilogrammes.

Meanwhile, two cannabis farms in Ugbada Forest, Uzebba, Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State, were destroyed on October 18. The farms had an estimated yield of 2,023.14 kilogrammes. Operatives also destroyed 450 kilogrammes of processed cannabis and retained 97 kilogrammes as evidence. Another suspect was arrested in Ewe community, Owan West, with 35 kilogrammes of cannabis.

Babafemi said the agency’s commands and formations had also continued public awareness activities under its War Against Drug Abuse initiative, delivering sensitisation programmes in schools, places of worship, workplaces and communities.

NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, commended personnel involved in the operations for their vigilance, professionalism and intelligence-led approach. He urged them to sustain efforts to combat drug trafficking and substance abuse.