By Sodiq Adelakun

In a series of recent operations, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has successfully intercepted drug shipments hidden in unexpected items.

The agency’s efforts have resulted in the seizure of significant quantities of illegal substances and the arrest of several suspects involved in drug trafficking.

One such operation took place at the SAHCO export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. NDLEA operatives discovered 20 kilograms of skunk cleverly concealed within tins of tomato paste.

The illicit consignment, intended for export to Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, was intercepted on Friday. In a separate incident, a shipment of methamphetamine weighing 1.60 kilograms was seized at a courier company in Lagos.

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday by the NDLEA’s Director of Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.

The NDLEA’s vigilance also led to the interception of a package containing 556 grams of Canadian loud, a potent strain of cannabis, sent from Canada to an individual named Tunji Adebayo in Ikorodu, Lagos.

The agency’s officers, attached to courier firms, discovered the contraband during routine inspections.

In another operation, NDLEA operatives raided the residence of an alleged notorious drug lord, Abdul Rauf (aka ‘Na God’), in Akala, Mushin, Lagos.

The raid resulted in the recovery of 1,101 kilograms of Ghanaian loud, a highly potent form of cannabis.

Three suspects were apprehended during the operation, while the kingpin himself managed to evade capture.

Moving to Kogi state, the NDLEA arrested a 22-year-old individual named Agada Emmanuel with 77.400 kilograms of cannabis along the Okene-Lokoja-Abuja expressway. Additionally, the agency recovered a staggering 369,980 pills of opioids on the same road.

The suspect linked to the seizure, Kabiru Ahmad Abdullahi, was later apprehended in a follow-up operation in Gombe State.

In a separate incident, NDLEA operatives recovered 399 pieces of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) from a suspect named Asana Oluwagbenga Leke, 39, along the Mokwa-Jebba road. The agency’s swift action prevented these dangerous weapons from falling into the wrong hands.

According to NDLEA, the suspect said the explosives were handed to him at a park in Ibadan to be delivered to someone in Kaduna, adding that the suspect and exhibits have since been transferred to the military authorities in Niger State.

In Ogun State, the anti-narcotic agency stated that a follow-up operation led to the arrest of Yinka Azeez at Sabo Lafenwa, Abeokuta on Tuesday 5th September, following the seizure of 41kg cannabis from Titilayo Adetayo at Sagamu Interchange the previous day, leading to the arrest of two suspects: Muhammad Aliyu, 38, and Abdullahi Zakariya, 40, who were arrested in Zaria-Kano Road and Haye Arewa, Hotoro, Kano, respectively, with over 426.5 kilograms of skunk seized from them.

The agency also stated that one Onyeka Uzor, 25, was arrested at Idemili, Anambra State, with 64.8kgs skunk and tramadol, while another suspect, Destiny Irabor, was nabbed on Friday 8th September with over 180kgs of opioids loaded in his Toyota Sienna bus.

“In Kaduna, two suspects, Ahmed Yusuf and Rilwan Nura, were arrested on Wednesday 6th September in connection with the seizure of 100 blocks of cannabis weighing 55kgs along Abuja road.

“In Edo State, operatives stormed the Ekudo forest, Onwude LGA, where they destroyed cannabis farms measuring 4.236347 hectares. In the same vein, operatives on Thursday 7th September raided the house of one Amuodu Egwehide, 40, in Iloje Okpuje, Owan West LGA, where they recovered 22 bags of skunk weighing 261.4kgs, while a 60-year-old grandma, Mrs. Eunice Egwehide was arrested in the town same day with 17kgs of the same substance seized from her.

“A suspect, Gapchiya Modu, 26, was arrested with 60kgs of cannabis along Kano-Nguru Road, Nguru, Yobe state, while in Imo state, 200 blocks of the same substance weighing 57kgs were recovered from Usim Orji, 45, along Aba-Owerri road on Wednesday 6th September.

“After over two months of surveillance, NDLEA operatives on Wednesday 6th September arrested a wanted kingpin, Idoko Festus Ifesinachi, 40, linked to the importation of 76.9kgs Canadian Loud intercepted in a container marked MSDU6686346 at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers state on 2nd June. He was arrested at his hideout in Lagos and taken to Port Harcourt,” the statement added.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced its commitment to the fight against drug abuse in Nigeria.

The agency stated that it has been conducting various drug control efforts, and its state commands and formations have been actively engaged in the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaigns.

The NDLEA has been reaching out to schools, worship places, palaces, and local communities to raise awareness about the dangers of drug abuse. The agency believes that these campaigns are crucial in reducing drug supply and demand in the country.

The agency however commended the officers and men of several commands, including MMIA, Ogun, Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Kogi, Anambra, Niger, Edo, Yobe, and Imo, for their efforts in combating drug abuse.

In the same vein, the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), praised their balanced approach in both drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction activities.

Brig. Gen. Marwa urged all NDLEA officers and their colleagues nationwide to continue their good work in the fight against drug abuse.