The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has given account of its activities in February about eight states in Nigeria including Federal Capital Territory (FCT), saying that a Female lawyer, her mum, boyfriend, their herbalist, and Uber driver top list of arrests regarding drug transactions.
The Agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi gave the breakdown of drug activities in the states mentioned.
According to him, men of the Agency intercepted a large consignment of Loud, a synthetic strong strain of cannabis, concealed in giant loudspeakers tucked in a consolidated cargo imported from New York, United States of America.
Babafemi stated that when the giant wooden boxes dressed as sound speakers seized by NDLEA officers at the NAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport, were opened, the sound boxes were stuffed with 60 bags of the expensive but highly sought-after psychoactive substance, Loud, weighing 33.5 kilograms.
He said three suspects: a freight agent Akeem Afeez; logistics company manager Babalola Ayodeji Gboyega and the receiver of the consignment Taiwo Olusegun Anuoluwapo have been arrested in follow-up operations between Thursday, and Friday, February 15 and 16, 2024, adding while Afeez was arrested at the airport, Gboyega was nabbed at his office on Allen Avenue Ikeja and Taiwo traced to his residence at 13 Ayo Babatunde Crescent, Lekki Phase1, Lagos, where he was picked on Friday.
Babafemi also revealed that in Abia, a joint raid operation between the NDLEA and men of the State Homeland Security at 23 Arochukwu street, Umuahia around 11pm on Wednesday, February 14, 2024, led to the arrest of a female lawyer, Adaobi Nweke, 36; her boyfriend, Emeka Nkemefola, 36; her mother, Mrs. Ngozi Nweke, 65; Dike Okpara, 43, who is herbalist to the family; Chukwudi Abel, 33, member of the family; Amarachi Paul, 18, another member of the family and their 22-year-old salesgirl, Blessing Jonathan.
He said investigations revealed that members of the family had long been in the illicit drug business passed on to them by their now late father, Jonathan Nweke.
Recovered from them as at the time of their arrest include various quantities of Cocaine, Heroin, Methamphetamine, Loud, Cannabis Sativa and precursor chemical with a total weight of 1.670kg as well as N578,400 monetary exhibit.
According to him, attempt by a 25-year-old Uber driver, Joshua Henry to deliver a consignment of 26.2grams of Loud picked in Abuja to a customer in Keffi, Nasarawa state on Monday, February 12, 2024, was thwarted by NDLEA operatives who intercepted him.
In the same vein, 54-year-old Dada Adedara was on Wednesday, February 14, 2024, arrested at Dan Bare area of Kano State with 468 blocks of cannabis weighing 246.4kg.
On the same day, according to Babafemi, operatives in Ogun state arrested the duo of Kafayat Junaid and Sakirat Osoanu with 13kg cannabis sativa.
The Agency further revealed that in Kogi state, a suspect, Charles Chike, 45, was arrested in a hotel in Lokoja on Friday, February 16, 2024, with 290 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 116kg.
The exhibit was concealed in the boot of a blue Honda Accord car marked Abuja ABC 853 SL, which took off from Ekiti state en route Abuja.
While not less than 227kg of same substance was recovered from Atoshi camp, Emure -Ile, Owo LGA, Ondo State, two suspects: John Jonathan and Emmanuel Alex were arrested.
Also, men of the Agency in Edo state acting on intelligence on Wednesday, February, 14, 2024, intercepted a consignment of methamphetamine coming from Onitsha, Anambra state to Lagos, in a Toyota Sienna bus marked Anambra NZM 347 ZL.
The meth consignment weighing 0.966kg was concealed inside a cassava made local food item, African salad popularly called “Abacha”.
The driver of the vehicle, Afamefuna Ibeawuchi Kingsley, 42, was arrested in connection with the seizure.
On the same day, a team of NDLEA officers also intercepted a Peugeot 406 space wagon car driven by Akhere Fardam, 47, along Uromi road in Esan Northeast LGA. A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of 865 bottles of codeine; 2,600 pills of tramadol and 600 tabs of swinol and rohypnol.
According to the Agency’s spokesperson, in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, NDLEA operatives conducted raid operations in Kubwa area of the FCT during which they arrested Tawa Wasiu, 47, and Iliya Ibrahim, 18, with 10.5kg cannabis, 13.5 grams of diazepam and 2.9 grams of tramadol tablets.
Another suspect, Yaro Bala, 27, was arrested on Thursday, February 15, 2024, with 50.5kg cannabis during a stop and search operation along Abaji/Abuja highway on his way from Auchi Edo state to Paiko, Niger State.
