NDLEA seizes N7.3bn codeine shipments, two passengers excrete 150 wraps of drugs in Lagos

…Arrests 60 at Abuja drug party, destroys 18,632kg cannabis in Edo Forest

By Adeyanju Esther

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted 6,125 cartons of codeine syrup containing 1,050,000 bottles of the opioid, worth over N7.35 billion, at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex in Onne, Rivers State.

The seizure, made from six containers on Saturday, June 29, 2024, was the third such interception in the past four weeks.

This followed credible intelligence and diligent tracking by a special operations unit of the NDLEA, in partnership with the Port Harcourt Ports Command and other security agencies, including the Customs Service, for a 100% joint examination of the targeted containers.

Meanwhile, NDLEA officers at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos, arrested two passengers travelling to Doha on a Qatar Airways flight on Friday, June 21, 2024.

The suspects, Aikhomoun Daniel (alias Oladapo Olanrewaju) and Ayigoro Waheed Omobolaji, were taken into custody after testing positive for ingesting illicit substances.

Daniel excreted 90 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.022 kg in six excretions, while Ayigoro discharged 60 wraps weighing 662 grams in five egestions. Further investigation revealed that Daniel had stolen the identity of his late uncle, who was once based in Germany, to obtain a Schengen visa.

On June 28, 2024, NDLEA operatives recovered 40.32 kg of Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, from a black Toyota Tacoma truck along the Lekki-Ikoyi road. The driver abandoned the vehicle after noticing he was being trailed by the operatives.

In Abuja, NDLEA operatives disrupted a drug party dubbed “Go Hard or Go Home. Pick Your Poison,” arresting 60 suspects (25 males and 35 females) at an apartment in Sun City Estate on the night of June 28, 2024.

The raid, which followed credible intelligence, led to the arrest of the organiser, Stanley Ikechukwu. Six suspects were found in possession of ecstasy and cannabis.

NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) directed the unconditional release of 20 suspects who tested negative for drugs, while 33 others who tested positive were released on bail and ordered to report for treatment and counselling.

In Edo State, four suspects were arrested in the deep forest of Ugun, Igueben LGA, on June 29, 2024, during an operation that destroyed 18,632.22 kilograms of cannabis on 7.452888 hectares of farmland.

Across the country, NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities in schools, worship centres, workplaces, and communities.

These included lectures at First Technical University in Ibadan, Government Day Secondary School in Yola, Ezeike High School in Nibo, and Mount Zion Anglican Church in Akure. An advocacy visit was also made to the palace of the Oba of Yoruba in Kano, Dr. Murtala Alimi Otitese.

Commending the officers for their efforts, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) emphasised the NDLEA’s commitment to staying ahead of drug cartels and thwarting their trafficking attempts.

He encouraged his team to maintain their balanced approach to drug control and continue collaborating with other stakeholders and partners to expose and thwart the tricks of drug traffickers.