NDLEA intercepts drug-laden bus, arrests two grandfathers, young lady in drug trafficking crackdown
…Busts drug syndicate in Lagos, seizes skuchies, codeine, cannabis, tramadol
By Sodiq Adelakun
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have seized a consignment of illegal drugs hidden within the engine compartment of an interstate commercial bus. Additionally, two elderly men have been apprehended for their involvement in the narcotics trade.
The NDLEA’s Director of Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, revealed the details of the operation in a statement on Sunday.
According to the report, the bus, bearing the registration number VDY 187 XA, was intercepted on Thursday, March 7, along the Gbongan – Ibadan road in Osun State. NDLEA officers conducting a stop-and-search operation on the highway discovered 5.2kg of cannabis sativa and various opioids cunningly concealed in the vehicle’s engine compartment.
The driver of the bus, 35-year-old Iorliam Sughnen Dominic, admitted to orchestrating the concealment and was subsequently detained for further investigation.In a related development, on Wednesday, March 6, a 26-year-old woman, Obasanmi Esther Iyanu, was arrested in Osogbo, the capital of Osun State. Iyanu, who is accused of producing and distributing a narcotic concoction known as “skuchies,” was captured during a raid on her hideout.
The NDLEA reported the seizure of at least 16.5 litres of the illicit substance, along with varying amounts of molly and cannabis, from her premises.The arrests of the two grandfathers, whose identities and specific roles in the drug trafficking operation were not immediately disclosed, highlight the NDLEA’s ongoing efforts to combat the menace of drug trafficking across all age groups in Nigeria.
“The previous day, Wednesday, March 6, a 26-year-old lady, Obasanmi Esther Iyanu, who produces and distributes skuchies was arrested during a raid on her hideout in Osogbo, the Osun state capital. At least, 16.5 litres of the illicit substance and different quantities of molly and cannabis were recovered from her during the raid.
“In the same vein, NDLEA operatives in Borno state have arrested a 70-year-old grandfather, Mallam Mai Gemu Adam and 65-year-old Yamama Musa for drug trafficking. They were arrested on Saturday, March 9, along with 24-year-old Abubakar Ya’u and Babagana Abubakar Ali, 28, in Maiduguri and Gamboru-Ngala respectively while 32,000 ampoules of tramadol injection were recovered from them.
“Same day, operatives at Geidam in Yobe state intercepted a Golf 3 salon car heading to Gagamari in Niger republic, where the occupant, Alhaji Mala Tijjani, 28, was to deliver 40 blocks of cannabis weighing 24.5kg to another dealer, while 42 cartons containing 8,400 bottles of codeine syrup weighing 1,260 kilograms were recovered from a driver, Mutari Ya’u, 29, at Katsina road, Kaduna on Tuesday, March 5,” it noted.
In Kano state, the agency stated that 35-year-old Nura Yusuf was arrested with 62kg of cannabis in the Gadar Tamburawa area, where Abubakar Sani, 40, was also nabbed with 244 bottles of codeine syrup, while Mohammad Alkali, 28, was found with 49, 800 pills of tramadol along Kano-Maiduguri road, on Thursday, March 7.
Similarly, NDLEA operatives in Lagos on Wednesday arrested Aba Thomas in the Igbo Elerin area of the state where 84 litres of skuchies, 1.1 litres of codeine syrup, 4kg cannabis sativa, and 800 tablets of tramadol 225mg were seized from him.
It said, “No fewer than eight suspects were arrested on Friday where NDLEA officers raided the notorious Karu abattoir drug joint in the FCT, Abuja with 51.3kg cannabis recovered from them. Those arrested include: Buhari Muhammadu; Jamilu Muhammed; Abubakar Wappa; Yahaya Tasiu; Ezekiel Mulanda; Abba Haruna; Habibu Umar and Shamsu Lawali.
“In Plateau state, two suspects: Pam Thomas, 45, and Stephen Nyam, 38, were on Monday, March 4, arrested with cannabis weighing 611.428kg at Zawan, Jos South, while in Kogi state, NDLEA officers intercepted a commercial J5 bus coming from Onitsha, Anambra state to Zaria, Kaduna state on Wednesday 6th March along Okene-Lokoja-Abuja expressway where a total of 8,580 pills of tramadol and exol-5 were seized from a suspect, Yusuf Abdullahi, 40.
“In Enugu, operatives on Tuesday 5th March raided some locked-up shops at the new market in Enugu metropolitan area where 371.42kg cannabis and 9.49 grams of methamphetamine were recovered.
“The NDLEA Commands across the country in the same vein balanced their drug supply reduction operations with War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, advocacy campaigns to schools, markets, worship centres and communities. Some of these include: WADA sensitisation lecture for 1,320 students of Government Secondary School, Madakiya, Kafanchan LGA, Kaduna; students and teachers of Kingdom Heritage School, Badagry, Lagos; students of Comprehensive Secondary School, Bichi, Kano; as well as WADA advocacy visit to Ekiti State First Lady, Dr. (Mrs) Olayemi Oyebanji and her Abia State counterpart, Mrs. Priscilla Otti, among several others.”
The Chairman/Chief Executinve Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), praised the Borno, Kogi, Kaduna, Kano, Osun, Lagos, Plateau, Enugu, Yobe, and FCT Commands for their commendable efforts in the past week. However, he urged them and their colleagues in other formations across the country to remain vigilant and persistent in their endeavors to reduce drug supply and demand.
